Mattia attended Willowbank School of Restoration Arts, where she was Student Representative to the Willowbank Board of Directors. She participated in the King’s Foundation Summer Program in 2023 and was the recipient of several bursaries and scholarships while at Willowbank. She was valedictorian of her class.
At ERA Architects she was engaged in a variety of projects, conducting historical research and around the cultural fabric of Toronto. Her interest in heritage as a function of sustainability and circular economics led her to work with Ouroboros Deconstruction on the Erin Project, which was featured at the TAS Circular Living Lab as a part of DesignTO in 2023 and received the Founders Award. She was a Heritage Toronto Emerging Historian in 2023 and is an ACO Education Committee Member. She has a prevailing respect for — and special interest in — the built environment, heritage crafts, and the cultural heritage landscapes that surround us.

Motivation:
I was motivated to join the Willowbank Board to remain involved in the institution which enabled me to have a career in heritage. As a previous student representative to the Board, I am looking forward to engaging with the students, faculty and my fellow directors from this new vantage point.

Vision:
My vision is for a steadily growing and improving Willowbank, with its roots firmly in its ideological and programmatic origins.

Advice:
To me, Willowbank is not just a school or a program; it is a lesson and a tool in and of itself. It is a lesson in patience, resilience and perseverance. You won't be good at every craft, you won't fully understand every concept. You'll grow not just through trying something you exceed at, but what challenges you and what you struggle with. It is a tool for better respecting your surroundings. Willowbank becomes the lens through which you see the built and natural environment; as cultural landscapes, art, interpretation of history and solutions to our climate crisis. It requires you to trust the process, but if you do it won't let you down.