063: Carina Mills: The Evolution of Architecture Firm Culture, Advancement, and Collaboration

Carina Mills, AIA serves as Senior Talent Director and Senior Associate for RDC-S111, Inc, a group of design firms including:  RDC, DyeLot Interiors and Studio One Eleven.

Carina is the rising President of AIA California, currently serving her term as of 2025. She is a graduate of Cal Poly Pomona’s BArch program and began her service to AIA as soon as she moved to Long Beach and joined the local chapter. 

Carina began her career dedicated to developing her skills as a technical architect, and as her career path has evolved, she has taken on leadership roles to support practice improvements. 

Carina has great love for the architecture profession coupled with a tenacious commitment to continuously evolving aspects of it, such as her passion for making the profession more inclusive and equitable.

We talk about: 

- Carina’s transition from a technical architect to leading a firm-wide role focused on culture, training, and staff development

- How speaking up for junior staff and challenging the status quo positioned her as both an advocate and internal leader; helping her to lead initiatives to replace outdated learning models with intentional coaching structures and peer mentorship programs which support emerging professionals.

- How her firm stayed connected and resilient through remote work by investing in mental health, flexible policies, and virtual engagement to maintain a strong firm culture

- As the current President of AIA California, Carina discusses her leadership across local and statewide levels and how she advances initiatives that support culture change, climate action, digital innovation, and advocacy within the profession

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Links:

Connect with Carina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carinamills/

AIA CA's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aiacalif/

Carina's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/architect_carina/

RDC: https://www.instagram.com/rdc.collab/

AIA CA Website: AIA California – The Voice of Architecture in California

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