Richard Matla

Rich Matla has a long established background and diverse experience in the education sector ranging from extensive classroom teaching experience, to pastoral care and middle management, to school governance, resource development and policy writing.

His current role is as a trainer, consultant and director of the company restorativeschools.org.nz, that he established in partnership with Greg Jansen in 2007.Through this role Rich has worked with thousands of teachers, students, principals, administrators, youth workers and parent groups.  He is the Chairperson of the Board of Trustees at Heathcote Valley Primary School since 2012, a role that has had a focus of enhancing teaching practice and forging strong educational partnerships between school and home. Rich is a contributing author of a chapter in the recently published book Responsive Pedagogy – Engaging Restoratively with Challenging Behaviour available through New Zealand Centre for Educational Research. 

Rich is passionate and committed to the needs of young people and their development, to the professional growth of teachers and educators and the quality of teaching and learning relationships. He has worked as an artist and designer, travelled extensively, been an aid worker, Resort Manager and tour guide and brings this creativity and energy to any role he takes on.