Karla Mills | Career Summary

Karla Mills serves as Executive Vice President & Chief Project Development Officer of Teck’s Projects Group, where she focuses on enabling the successful delivery of complex capital projects. With more than 25 years of experience in project development, Karla emphasizes disciplined planning and governance, recognizing that large projects succeed when risks are surfaced early, assumptions are challenged, and decisions are grounded in evidence rather than optimism.  

She is committed to fostering diverse perspectives and inclusive teams, believing that broad input helps counter the blind spots and biases that often derail major projects. Karla works to embed sustainability and Teck’s values into each stage of project development and delivery, while encouraging transparency and accountability - critical elements for projects that span years and involve significant investment.  

Previously, Karla served as Chair of Mining for Miracles (2019–2022). Outside of work, she is proud to be a mom to Mackenzie (21) and Matthew (16). 

Karla holds a B.Sc. in Geological Engineering from the University of Manitoba, a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from York University, and is a registered Professional Engineer in British Columbia.  

Her career began in hydrogeology and contaminant transport before expanding to leadership roles on large, multidisciplinary projects in oil and gas and mining. She was part of the leadership team at Wardrop, a 1,500-person engineering firm, before its acquisition by Tetra Tech in 2008. After continuing with Tetra Tech until 2013, Karla joined Teck Resources, progressing from Program Manager for Water Projects to Program Director, then Vice President, Projects in 2018, Senior Vice President in 2023, and into her current role in 2024.  

She has contributed to projects across Canada, the United States, Australia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Africa, and values the governance, realism, and collaboration practices that research shows are essential for megaproject success.