The Town of Moraga didn’t have to look very far in order to fill the vacated position of Director of Public Works/Town Engineer. Nate Levine, who previously held the role of Senior Engineer, acted in the interim post after Shawn Knapp’s announced retirement became effective Dec. 30, 2025. He officially dropped the “interim” title on May 4, when he took over the reins of the department.

    Before coming to work for the Town, Levine was a project manager and department lead for traffic transportation services with Sandis, a civil engineering firm, that partnered with Moraga during the Corliss Drive Safe Routes to School Project approximately three years ago.  That collaboration is what put him on the Town’s radar.  “I’m appreciative of Shawn for that opportunity,” he stated.

    One might consider Levine to be homegrown given that he grew up in Orinda (where his parents still live), attended Miramonte High School, and currently lives in Moraga with his wife, Deb, and their son, Warren (4-1/2).  “It’s a unique opportunity to do my job in the town where I live,” he observed.  “When there’s a problem, since I live here, I can relate.”

    Levine’s decision to work for the Town was a no-brainer. “As engineers we really like to see that what we do benefits the people we work for.  The fact that I live here helps me to shape and give back to family and friends.”

    Some current projects include: 2025/2026 Street Rehabilitation Project; Moraga/Canyon Road Complete Streets Project – SS4A; and Moraga Way Safety and Connectivity Planning Study (meant to evaluate the 4.7-mile Moraga Way corridor that stretches from Moraga Road to the Orinda BART station to improve safety and connectivity for walking, cycling, driving, and transit).

    With regards to public works and future projects, Levine explained, “We’re at the stage where we’ve had a lot of feedback for the past 10 years through surveys or requests.  It’s been a while, and we’ll have to look into securing funding, because we have limited resources.” As a graduate of California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, Levine holds a license in both civil and traffic engineering – something he likes to joke about as being the only public works director in Lamorinda who can make that claim. As such, his dual licenses will help Moraga avoid outside contractors.

    “I’ve worked with Nate a number of times on projects, and I knew he’d be a great addition to the Town,” stated Knapp. “I looked for someone with complimentary skills, and as a small agency we have to do it all.  Nate comes with a background in traffic and civil engineering, so he’s uniquely qualified in that respect.  I thought he’d be a great addition to Moraga.”

    Despite having a lot on his plate work-wise, Levine deals with other “plates” such as those on adult softball league fields.  He plays an average of three to four games a week in order to unwind. 

    “We’ve gotten a lot done in the past five months,” said Levine.  “We have two vacancies, but we have a great staff, and we’ve focused our priorities and are still on track.  It’s been rewarding, and we have a lot to show for it in a short period of time.”