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.

Cleve Gurney

Project Manager

Cleve graduated from Loyola Marymount University in 2017 with a BS in Civil Engineering and joined DKE shortly after. As an entry-level engineer, Cleve started working on preliminary engineering studies for new projects to currently managing several projects of his own. With much room to grow at DKE, Cleve is striving to obtain new knowledge everyday and is working towards receiving his P.E. license in the future.

Outside of work, Cleve enjoys being outdoors, swimming, travelling, cooking, and trying new foods.

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.

Matt Jimenez

Project Manager

After graduating from UC Irvine with a degree in Environmental Engineering, Matt went on to pursue a career in the public sector where he dealt primarily with storm-water quality regulations, green infrastructure and permitting. After a few years of working he discovered his passion for design and development and transitioned into the private sector.

As a Project Engineer at DKE Matt is exposed to a wide range of development projects ranging from single and multi-family dwellings to mixed-use and commercial buildings. He enjoys the challenging and fast paced environment as well as the opportunities available for growth and development as a young engineer.

In his spare time Matt enjoys watching sports, weightlifting and travelling. 

Fredy Garcia

Project Manager

Fredy received his B.S. in Environmental Engineering and minor in Business from UC San Diego in 2018. Following graduation, Fredy relocated from San Diego to Marina Del Rey and joined the DKE team. His main responsibilities include the design of civil plans in a wide array of project developments which include erosion control, grading & drainage, stormwater treatment, and street improvements. Additionally, Fredy assists the Associates in coordinating with Architects and other Design Engineers, public jurisdictions, and contractors in order to help raise these developments from the ground.

Fredy is SoCal born and raised; he has lived in Orange, Inland Empire, San Diego and LA counties. On his free time, Fredy enjoys sunny days with friends, attending sporting events (an avid LAFC supporter), exploring & photographing new places.