Strategy the whole organization carries.
Wandering Purpose is the consulting practice of Sarah Neiderer, MPH — a change strategist with twenty years leading strategic planning and organizational transformation for water and wastewater utilities, from the C‑suite of one of the nation's largest public utilities to small systems across the country, grounded in a decade of work protecting the Potomac River watershed.
Plans deliver only when people align around them.
Sarah approaches strategic planning as an adoption challenge as much as an analytical one. The work pairs rigorous strategy — board governance, outcome measures, implementation roadmaps — with the change management that makes a plan stick: aligned leadership, empowered teams, and measurable outcomes that outlast the engagement.
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Organizational change management
Prosci-certified practice that carries change from proposal through sustained adoption, at both the leadership and frontline level.
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Strategic planning & board governance
Enterprise-wide planning, board engagement, and facilitation — translating complex performance data into governance-level insight.
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Outcome-based digital change leadership
Making technology implementations succeed by working with the operators, supervisors, and leaders who must adopt them.
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Program design & implementation
Designing organizational programs that improve regulatory compliance, performance, and capacity — then executing them.
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National water advocacy & outreach
Stakeholder engagement spanning federal agencies, state governments, industry associations, and community organizations.
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Business development & revenue diversification
Building offerings and partnerships that diversify revenue beyond federal funding for utilities and mission-driven organizations.
Selected work
DC Water
The Blueprint
As Chief of Strategic Planning, led development of the enterprise strategic plan for one of the nation's largest and most complex public utilities — engaging 1,200 employees and the Board of Directors. The plan remains operational as of 2026.
Moonshot Missions
Startup to national reach
Scaled a nonprofit from concept to national reach, securing its first federal and private awards, then directed a $5M federal EPA grant portfolio delivering technical assistance across 200+ utility projects.
EMA Inc.
C‑suite transformation advisory
Advised C-suite utility leaders on organizational transformation and operational excellence — translating strategy into executable change with measurable lifecycle cost reductions and efficiency gains.
Credentials
Set your organization's path forward.
Whether you're renewing a strategic plan, navigating a transformation, or building the capacity to deliver on your mission — the first conversation is free.
Email Sarah