Brown and Caldwell welcomes vice president to pursue external funding options for water projects nationwide

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., June 20, 2023 — Brown and Caldwell today announced it is expanding its funding and finance group as highly experienced Seema Chavan joins the firm as vice president and senior director of strategic funding.

With a 20-year background in the water and wastewater industry, Chavan is uniquely skilled in partnering with public utilities to identify, strategize, and secure federal, state, and local low-interest loan and grant opportunities. She has helped obtain $800 million in funding from the EPA, Bureau of Reclamation, FEMA, USDA, Clean Water/Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, and various state programs for numerous multimillion-dollar capital improvement programs. Her expertise includes the development of grant strategies, directing applications, coordinating with funding agency staff, supporting advocacy, managing program compliance requirements, and assisting agencies with reporting and disbursement requests.

In her new role, Chavan will lead Brown and Caldwell’s funding and finance group, leveraging her experience as a professional engineer and deep knowledge of complex environmental projects to help clients secure financial aid for public water infrastructure projects. She will review projects to identify funding mechanisms, advise on project scoping to maximize funding opportunities, and work directly with clients to select and apply for economic assistance. Furthermore, she will provide counsel on how federal, state, and local funding could increase clients’ financial capabilities.

“I am thrilled to welcome Seema to Brown and Caldwell. Her expertise will play a key role in helping water and wastewater agencies understand and position for outside project funding while reducing the financial burden on their customers,” said Chief Growth Officer Geoff Grant.

Based in San Jose, California, Chavan holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.