Preserving the past by planning and building for the future
ABOUT
Matrix Heritage is an Eastern Ontario based heritage and archaeological consulting firm. From background reviews to complex mitigations, we find innovative solutions that benefit our clients while upholding the highest standard in cultural resource management practices. We work closely with our clients, First Nations communities, and stakeholders to find project specific approaches that meet planning, development, and heritage preservation needs.
Our highly qualified staff of professionals are well versed in provincial and federal policies which enables us to provide targeted services to both the public and private sectors. No project is too big or too small to receive excellent customer service. Every client receives the same comprehensive and personal approach. We are here to help navigate the assessment process from initial advice and planning through to assessments and mitigation.
Matrix Heritage brings together archaeologists and heritage professionals with extensive experience in the pre-contact Indigenous and historical archaeology of Ontario, built heritage, and cultural landscape evaluations and impact assessments. Our core staff includes Ben Mortimer, Senior Archaeologist and Principal and Nadine Kopp, Senior Archaeologist and Associate. Ben and Nadine have participated in hundreds of archaeological projects and, under their licenses, have successfully completed over 400 archaeological assessments across Ontario.
Our team is made up of bright and like-minded individuals, who have come together to provide a full suite of services. We come from a variety of different fields and technical backgrounds, yet our passion for heritage ties us all together.
Check out the people who make Matrix Heritage the amazing company it truly is.
OUR TEAM
Archaeology
Principal Archaeologist
Nadine attended her first excavation in 1999, sparking a lifelong passion for uncovering stories buried beneath our feet, and sometimes beneath the waves. With two decades of experience in Cultural Resource Management, she has worked on a wide range of projects across Ontario and beyond, from large-scale infrastructure and urban heritage assessments to shoreline and underwater investigations. A trained Underwater Archaeologist, Nadine’s expertise spans both terrestrial and submerged cultural landscapes. She approaches each project as a partnership in stewardship, helping clients achieve their goals while ensuring cultural heritage is understood and preserved.
Associate Senior Archaeologist
Ben has been pursuing his love of Ontario archaeology for over three decades. He was introduced to archaeology with his first site visit in 1982 and started getting his hands dirty volunteering on excavations with Parks Canada in 1990. Ben's experiences include a diverse breadth of sites across Ontario where he has lead hundreds of projects.
Staff Archaeologist
Andrea has had a fascination for history and archaeology from an early age. Following her undergraduate degree, her first job in archaeology was in 2004 on an incredibly large site in Ontario which solidly hooked her into life as an archaeologist. Her post-graduate education took her to Scotland in 2006 where she worked in archaeology following her studies. For more than a decade she has worked on a wide variety of sites across Ontario.
Archaeological Operations Manager
Jeff has been working in Ontario archaeology since 2003, developing extensive experience in the Trent Valley and across Southern Ontario. With a background in GIS-based spatial analysis and landscape archaeology, he has contributed to research on settlement patterns, mortuary practices, and cultural landscapes. His work with Parks Canada and private-sector archaeology has taken him across Ontario, applying innovative approaches to archaeological resource management.
Carina Hochgeschurz
Field Director
Carina holds a B.A. in Anthropology and Classics from the University of New Brunswick and brings over eight years of archaeological field experience to her role as a Field Director. She has directed and supported Stage 1–4 assessments across Ontario, including projects with the National Capital Commission and Parks Canada. Her experience includes burial site investigations at Ottawa’s historic Barrack Hill Cemetery and the Fortress of Louisbourg, as well as international fieldwork in Austria and England.
Em Miller
Field Director
Em Miller holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia and is an Archaeological Field Director with broad experience across Ontario. They have participated in all stages of assessment, from pre-contact Indigenous sites to historical and urban excavations, and have worked in both southern Ontario and remote northern locations.
Heritage
Senior Architectural Historian
Natalie’s passion for architecture and history was sparked during two years in the UK as a child, exploring castles and historic sites most weekends. Natalie’s research and reporting experience includes a wide variety of built heritage resources and cultural heritage landscapes across Ontario, for federal, provincial, municipal, and private sector clients. She is a current board member of the Society for the Study of Architecture in Canada, and a Professional Member of the Canadian Association of Heritage Professionals (CAHP).
Associate Senior Architectural Historian and Heritage Planner
Julie is a cultural heritage professional with over 30 years of experience and training in the fields of heritage planning, environmental assessment, public history, cultural landscapes, and heritage assessments. Julie has led major heritage and public history projects for federal and provincial governments, Indigenous organizations, developers and architects, law firms, and municipalities. Julie is also trained and experienced in museums, interpretation, online media production, public consultations, and program evaluation.
