Joe Sanders

Joe Sanders is the executive director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska, where he leads the institute in delivering on its vision of a water and food secure world, building its partnerships and collaborations in Nebraska, nationally in the US, and other key food producing regions in the world. Joe is a distinguished senior international development leader with more than 27 years of expertise in designing and managing complex, large-scale programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He has led eight major USAID-funded initiatives with a total value exceeding $330 million, consistently focusing on agricultural market systems, food security and climate resilience. Known for his collaborative talent and forward-thinking approach, Joe’s work is rooted in institutional strengthening and locally led solutions, which have been instrumental in attracting more than $240 million in leveraged resources through successful public-private partnerships.

Joe’s extensive experience includes spearheading major efforts in Kenya and the wider East Africa region to expand trade, strengthen agriculture and livestock markets, scale climate-smart technologies, and attract critical private sector investment. He has also previously overseen integrated water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and nutrition programs that reached more than a million people and directed initiatives to build post-disaster and climate resilience in countries like Zimbabwe, Nepal, Bolivia, and Afghanistan. Joe is highly regarded for his ability to build and manage high-performing, multi-stakeholder teams and for his close work with governments, civil society and the private sector in complex operational environments.

Joe holds an M.Sc. in Managing Rural Development from the University of London and a B.Sc. in Biology from Catholic University of America.