Since 2002, he has worked together with Cap-Net UNDP, the International Network for Capacity Development for Sustainable Water Management. 

Between 2002 and February 2018, he was the manager of LA-WETnet, the Latin America Water Education and Training Network. He has also worked as a consultant for UNDP, ECLAC, IDB, the European Commission, INWENT, and SIWI. 

He is a member of the Source to Source Steering Committee and a Strategic Advisor of the UNESCO Chair on Education for Sustainability and Global Citizenship, based at the Universidad de San Andres in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

He has a degree in Business Administration, a Master's in Education, and a Postgraduate Degree in Non-Profit Social Organizations. He is an advocate for capacity development in sustainability, as a driver for increased collaboration between countries and action for human development.

John Etgen is the CEO of the Project WET Foundation and has been teaching environmental education to diverse audiences for over 35 years. He has a passion for helping people of all ages understand our most precious natural resource, water. Whether teaching sanitation and hygiene to schools in developing countries or educating employees of the world’s largest companies about water stewardship, John inspires people to take meaningful action to conserve and protect water. John has been with the Project WET Foundation for 30 years. His work has spanned more than 75 countries. He holds a Master of Science degree in Science Education from Montana State University and Executive Leadership and High-Performance Leadership certificates from Cornell University. He was a credentialed Corporate Water Stewardship Professional Consultant for the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) and founding Co-Chair of the AWS Technical Committee.