Dr. Delia C. Catacutan is a distinguished Filipino environmental scientist, policy expert, and international development professional with more than two decades of research and leadership experience in natural resource management, agroforestry, environmental governance, watershed management, climate action, and landscape restoration across Asia and Africa. She holds a PhD in Natural and Rural Systems Management from the University of Queensland, Australia, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability Science at the Center for International Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Her academic and professional journey reflects a lifelong commitment to advancing science, policy, and practice in support of sustainable development.

Dr. Catacutan formerly served as Principal Scientist, Country Representative for the Philippines and Vietnam, and Regional Coordinator for Southeast Asia at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry. She is currently Chair of Healthy Planet Action Philippines, Senior Fellow of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry and the Global EverGreening Alliance, and International Consultant to United Nations agencies and the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization. She is also associated with Landscape Partnership Asia as a thought leader, contributing to regional collaboration on integrated landscape approaches, restoration, agroforestry, and climate-resilient development. She was also a founding Board member of the International Union of Agroforestry and played a pioneering role in the development and coordination of Global Landcare.

A respected voice in science diplomacy, Dr. Catacutan has worked across governments, research institutions, civil society, and international organizations to translate scientific knowledge into policy action and cross-border cooperation. She has contributed to global and regional policy processes, knowledge exchanges, and capacity-building initiatives that bridge science, diplomacy, and sustainable development priorities. She has authored and co-authored over 100 scientific publications, book chapters, working papers, and policy briefs, and has led major initiatives linking research, policy, and practice. Among her notable contributions is her leadership in advancing the ASEAN Guidelines for Agroforestry Development, which were adopted by ASEAN Member States in 2018. In the same year, she received a distinguished award from the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, recognizing her outstanding contributions to sustainable agriculture and rural development. Through her work, Dr. Catacutan has championed inclusive, science-based solutions for climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, and community empowerment. Her career stands as an inspiring example of scholarship, leadership, and science diplomacy in service of people, nature, and future generations.