Dan Krief, P.E. (C76041)
Founder & President
As President, Dan Krief is responsible for client contact, establishment of fees and schedules, supervision of engineering personnel, project design and production, overall project coordination and construction administration. Dan is passionate about delivering Excellence in all of DKE’s undertakings including top quality design work and outstanding customer services. He believes in “working smart”.
After graduating from McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 2001, Dan began working in Southern California as a Civil Engineer with a leading Civil Design organization. After 16 years working with the company, Dan left to follow his dream and opened his own design firm. Over the course of his career, Dan has completed over 200 projects.
Outside of work, Dan enjoys spending time with his family, watching and playing sports and traveling.
Matt Plourde, P.E., QSP (C84893)
Principal
As Principal, Matt Plourde is responsible for office management, project management, design and production of drawings, project coordination, and construction administration.
After graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA in 2012, Matt began working in Southern California as a Civil Engineer with a major Civil Engineering design company. Matt joined DKE at its very beginning, motivated by the desire to help shape the direction of the company and make a meaningful impact. With over 8 years of design and management experience, Matt has worked on over 120 projects in various sectors including residential, commercial, mixed-use, civic and education.
In his spare time Matt enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters, woodworking, and taking his two dogs on hikes.
Jessica Krief
HR Manager
Jessica started her career in the field of HR in 2009, after graduated from Columbia University with a M.A. in Social- Organizational Psychology.
After working for a leading General Contractor for over 6 years, Jessica made the transition to DKE in 2018, driven by the desire to develop important HR programs and initiatives from scratch and to make meaningful contributions as well as to enjoy a better work life balance. Jessica manages DKE’s recruiting efforts, performance management reviews, benefits, payroll and compensation, compliance, events, and whatever relevant projects come her way.
Jessica enjoys the laid back work atmosphere, friendly and fun company culture and flexible work schedule that DKE offers which allows her to spend quality time with her kids and take care of her family.
Scott Ralston
Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager, Scott is responsible for project management, design and production of drawings, project coordination, and construction administration.
Scott started his career with a large Civil Engineering design company in Los Angeles working on land development in 2012 after graduating from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona with a BS in Civil Engineering. With over 10 years of experience designing, managing, and training, Scott has become very familiar with the industry in the Los Angeles area while working in a variety of sectors including residential, commercial, mixed-use, hospitality, civic, and education.
Outside of work, Scott enjoys exploring L.A. and asking people for their recommendations, reading, racquet/paddle sports, paddle boarding, and L.A. rooftops with a nice view.
Sarah Sotelo
CAD Manager
As CAD Manager, Sarah Sotelo is responsible for the production and quality control of Construction Documents, using both Autocad and Civil 3D. Sarah oversees all drafting operations and works on developing and maintaining office wide CAD Standards.
After Graduating from ITT Technical Institute in 2000, Sarah began working with a leading national engineering firm and joined DKE in the spring of 2017. With 21 years of progressive experience, Sarah has worked on hundreds of projects ranging from Residential, Commercial, Government, Civic and Higher Education.
In her spare time Sarah enjoys family vacations, reading, running, photography and crafting.
Patrick Nevens
CAD Designer
After graduating from California State University, Northridge with a B.S. in Business, Patrick worked in the Film Production Industry. He decided to change course and completed the Drafting Production Design program at Los Angeles Harbor College. He began his career at DKE in 2018 as a CAD Designer where he is responsible for the production and quality control of construction documents.
In his free time, Patrick enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, snowboarding, surfing, biking and boating. He enjoys the outdoors and living the beach lifestyle.
Matthew Gooden
Project Engineer
After graduating from Loyola Marymount University in 2019 with a BS in Civil Engineering, Matthew entered the General Contracting industry as a field engineer. Shortly thereafter, he found a passion for design, and transitioned into Land Development as a Design Engineer in the private sector.
As a Project Engineer at DKE, Matthew works on single family residential, multi-family residential, and mixed-use residential Projects. Matthew collaborates and coordinates with engineering consultants and coworkers, to ensure Projects move forward successfully. He enjoys the excitement that comes with a quickly growing Civil Engineering Firm.
In his spare time, Matthew enjoys playing soccer, producing, and DJ’ing electronic music, and playing chess.
Jake Voge
Project Engineer
After moving to Los Angeles from Kansas City, Jake completed his undergrad at Loyola Marymount University in 2021 with a BS in Civil Engineering and joined DKE in the months following. As a project engineer, Jake is working on development for residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects. Jake works closely with his Principals as well as other engineering consultants to go above and beyond client needs. Jake is excited to continue to grow and learn everyday.
In his free time, Jake enjoys being exploring LA, cooking new foods, hiking, and spending the weekends at the beach.