Catarina de Albuquerque joined Sanitation and Water for All in 2014 and has since increased political will in favor of water, sanitation and hygiene, and positioned SWA as a vital contributor to the achievement  of Sustainable Development Goal. She was previously the first UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation.

In July 2018, following a wide-ranging governance review, SWA created the position of Chief Executive Officer and Ms. de Albuquerque was chosen for the position in a competitive process. Through her strategic leadership as CEO, she is an influential and powerful advocate for SWA and the human rights to water and sanitation. She leads the SWA secretariat and provides strategic leadership compatible with its vision and high-level objectives, including all operational, executive and fundraising activities. 

In 2008, Ms. de Albuquerque was appointed by the Human Rights Council to become the first UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation. In 2010, she played a pivotal role in the recognition of water and sanitation as human rights by the UN General Assembly. Her work helped ensure that the rights to water and sanitation were incorporated into the language of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Catarina has a law degree from the University of Lisbon and specialised in international law at the University of Geneva. She has also been a member of the Portuguese Diaspora Council since 2023.