RVSS - Key Persons


Benjamin L. Poaster

Job Titles:
  • Stormwater Program Coordinator
Ben joined the RVSS team in June 2023. He is a combat veteran who retired from the Marine Corps after 20 years of honorable service. Not one for the regular, he began his career as an enlisted Scout/Sniper for 2/1 Surveillance and Target Acquisition and left as a KC-130J Aircraft Commander and Current Operations Officer for 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies through the University of Washington in 2009 and a secondary assignment as an Environmental Engineer along the way.

Brenda Baldovino - CFO

Job Titles:
  • Finance Director
Brenda earned her Bachelor of Arts in Accounting from Southern Oregon University. She has been the Rogue Valley Sewer Services Finance Director since August 2007, receiving many awards for budgeting and financial reporting.

Carl Tappert

Job Titles:
  • General Manager
Carl earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from West Virginia University. He served three years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi, Africa, and worked five years for an engineering consulting firm in Tillamook County before coming to RVSS in 1998. Carl served as District Engineer until December 2010, earning a Master of Business Administration from Portland State University along the way. In January 2011 Carl was promoted to General Manager.

Carole Balzer

Job Titles:
  • Network Administrator
Carole earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern Oregon University. She worked at the Jackson County Administrator's Office and Jackson County Health and Human Services prior to being hired in 1991 as the Executive Secretary to the General Manager. In 1998 she was promoted to Administrative Assistant in Engineering. In 2003 she was promoted to GIS Specialist in the Engineering Department. Then in December of 2005, Carole was promoted to Network Administrator.

John Edwards

Job Titles:
  • Director

John Quinn

Job Titles:
  • Director

Kay Harrison - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman

Mike Parsons

Job Titles:
  • Vice - Chair

Nicholas R. Bakke

Job Titles:
  • District Engineer
After attending the University of Oregon for three years, Nick earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Oregon Institute of Technology in 2005. Nick has worked as a design engineer in Southern Oregon since, splitting his career between the public and private sectors. He was hired as District Engineer in April of 2016.

Roger Thom

Job Titles:
  • Director

William Kevin James

Job Titles:
  • Treatment Supervisor
Kevin's employment in the wastewater industry dates back over thirty years. He worked in Alaska, Utah, and Oregon performing a variety of wastewater-related duties within both the public and private sectors. He earned both an AAS in Water Reclamation and a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management from Utah Valley University. Additionally, he has earned the highest licensures available in Oregon for both Wastewater Collection and Wastewater Treatment. His District service began in 2012 when he was hired as Treatment Supervisor, supervising operations at the Shady Cove Wastewater Treatment Facility. Later, he was promoted to Treatment Manager, managing operations at the White City Lagoons, Shady Cove, and Gold Hill Wastewater Treatment Facilities.