SPEAKERS

Natasha Avendaño García, General Manager, Bogotá Water and Sewer Company

General Manager of the Bogotá Water and Sewer Company since January 5, 2024.

An economist with three master's degrees: in Economics from the University of Los Andes, in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, and in International Taxation, Foreign Trade, and Customs from the Externado University of Colombia. She holds a PhD in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley, with an emphasis on taxation, and has taught Economics and Economic Law at the Universidad de Los Andes and Externado.

Her notable roles include serving as Superintendent of Public Utilities from 2018 to 2022, as Expert Commissioner of the Energy and Gas Regulatory Commission (CREG) from 2022 to 2023, and as Director of Organizational Management at the National Tax and Customs Directorate (DIAN) since 2012, where she also served as Deputy Director of Operational Analysis. For seven years, she served as an advisor to the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit, as part of the Macroeconomic Policy Directorate and the Technical Vice Ministry.

Lourdes Saurez Barboza, President, Costa Rican Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers – AYA

Fabián Cazar, Manager of Potable Water and Sanitation, ETAPA EP

Civil Engineer with a strong academic background, supported by four master’s degrees in Water Engineering, Project Management, Business Administration, and Applied Mathematics. He has over 20 years of experience in the public sector, specializing in the planning, construction, and supervision of potable water, sewage, and sanitation systems.

He has served as Manager of Potable Water and Sanitation at ETAPA EP, leading strategic projects, strengthening water infrastructure management, and coordinating international technical cooperation processes.

In parallel, he teaches university courses in Engineering, Architecture, and Mathematics at highly prestigious academic institutions. He is recognized for his analytical ability, professional commitment, and technical leadership in the development of urban infrastructure works and environmental sustainability projects.