João Catarino was born in Proença-a-Nova in 1969.
He helds a degree in Agronomic Engineering and a bachelor in Forest Production Engineering.
He started his professional career in 1992, having coordinated the work of Photo Interpretation for the Land Occupation Charter of Portugal (work prepared for the former National Center for Geographic Information - CNIG).
In 1994 he held a permanent position in the former Forestry Delegation of Beira Interior, moved on to the current Nature Conservation Institute, where he worked as a Forest Technical Engineer.
From 1999 to 2004 he held the position of Councilman at Proença-a-Nova's City Council, being responsible for the areas of civil protection, agroforestry development, implementation of the new accounting plan for local authorities, environment, private construction works and the coordination of the technical office of the City Council.
From November 2004 to March 2005, he was responsible for the Forest Division of Pinhal Interior Sul, which oversees the area corresponding to the Municipalities of Proença-a-Nova, Sertã, Oleiros, Vila de Rei and Mação, in the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests.
From April to October 2005, he was Advisor of the Secretary of State for Rural Development of Forests.
From October 2005 to March 4, 2016 he served as City Mayor of Proença-a-Nova.
At the same time, he also held the following positions: President of the Intermunicipal Council of the Intermunicipal Community of Beira Baixa; Chairman of the Administration Board of ProençaTur, E. M.; Chairman of the Administration Board of PEPA - Parque Empresarial de Proença-a-Nova, S. A.; President of Pinhal Maior - Pinhal Interior Sul Development Association; Vice-president of the Intermunicipal Community of Pinhal Interior Sul; Member of the Board of Directors of Raia Pinhal, President of the Board of Directors and Member of the Intermunicipal Association of Nature and Tagus.
He participated and promoted several associative projects.
Between March 2016 and July 2017, he was the assistant coordinator of the Mission Unit for the Valorisation of the Interior, exercising, since July 18, 2017, the functions of coordinator of the Mission Unit.
He was Secretary of State of Territorial Development from October 2018 to October 2019.