New York

(845) 332-0257 • cbalmer@rcapsolutions.org

Candace Balmer has been with RCAP Solutions since 1997, assisting small, rural communities to plan, fund, implement and maintain community water and wastewater projects. She is a skilled technical educator and trainer. Previously, she held the position of Associate Director, Pollution Abatement Technology Program, Westchester Community College, Valhalla, New York, and of Project Engineer, Environmental Resources Management, Inc., Exton, Pennsylvania. Education: A.A.S. in Water Quality Monitoring; B.A. in Anthropology; M.S. in Environmental Engineering.

(607) 233-3824 • bsims@rcapsolutions.org

Becky Sims joined RCAP Solutions in 2023 as a Community Specialist and was promoted to New York State Manager roughly one year later. Her experience includes working for New York municipalities as a Public Health Sanitarian and as an elected Councilperson. She has extensive experience ensuring regulatory compliance for water and wastewater systems, including onsite septic systems. Becky has also had success leveraging funds in the form of grants for environmental improvement projects. She has worked in the field training volunteers and sampling groundwater to develop a database of “pre-fracking” data and is the co-author of a peer-reviewed publication in the Journal “New Solutions”. Education: Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Anna Maria College and Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies from Ithaca College.

(508) 688-7918 • abourque@rcapsolutions.org

Adam Bourque joined RCAP Solutions in 2022 after spending over 3 years as a GIS Community Specialist for RCAP in Kentucky. Adam brings a unique skillset that specializes in creating customized GIS solutions and training focused on rural water and wastewater operations. While at RCAP in Kentucky, Adam’s GIS technical assistance focused on water, wastewater, recycling, and opioid and substance abuse mapping. Adam is also involved in grant writing, graphic design, and photography. Education: B.S. in Natural Resources and Environmental Science with a minor in GIS from the University of Kentucky.

(518) 971-1583 • jlavigne@rcapsolutions.org

Jesse LaVigne joined RCAP Solutions in April 2024 after working as a water plant operator and technical lead for a public water system near Philadelphia. His focus was GIS systems integration and workflow development. He has also worked extensively in data logging automation and spearheaded the lead service line identification team. Before working in public water, Jesse served as an adjunct professor teaching video game design and development for Wilmington University in Delaware. He also designed custom software and games for Heavy Key Studios. Education: B.A. in Sociology from Wheaton College and B.S. in Video Game Design & Development Wilmington University.

(585) 479-2352 • cmathes@rcapsolutions.org

Challis Mathes joined RCAP Solutions in July 2026 as a Community Specialist based in New York. He provides technical assistance, training, and capacity-building support to communities addressing drinking water and wastewater challenges. He brings more than eight years of water treatment experience, including his role as a Water Treatment Plant Operator with the Monroe County Water Authority, where he helped operate a 150-million-gallon-per-day surface water treatment facility and ensured compliance with state and federal drinking water regulations.

Challis has extensive expertise in water and wastewater operations, regulatory compliance, source water protection, strategic planning, funding applications, and community capacity development. He is passionate about helping small and rural communities strengthen their technical, managerial, and financial capacity to maintain safe, sustainable water systems.

In addition to his water sector experience, Challis has a strong background in horticulture and natural resource management. Through his work with various environmental organizations, he has led horticultural programs, provided plant and soil analysis, developed pest management recommendations, and supported habitat restoration and invasive species management initiatives.

Challis holds a Master of Science in Natural Resource Stewardship with a minor in Water Resources from Colorado State University, a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a minor in Environmental Studies from SUNY Empire State College, and is certified as a New York Grade IIA Water Treatment Operator.