The Tribune

TDG Architects has announces that Theshala Mills, a licensed architect, has earned a graduate certificate in planning and design of healthcare environments from Ball State University.

It said the certification brings specialised healthcare planning expertise to the firm and, more broadly, to the design of healthcare facilities across The Bahamas, shaping the spaces where patient care takes place.

Ms Mills completed the graduate-level programme in summer 2026, having enrolled in spring 2025. The certification focuses on the planning and design of healthcare facilities, with an emphasis on patient care, safety, operational efficiency and evidence-based design principles.

“It means that I get to continue working in a field that I find genuinely fulfilling while bringing a greater level of knowledge, understanding and expertise to the projects I undertake. It is an investment in my professional growth and my ability to make a meaningful contribution to healthcare design in The Bahamas,” said Ms Mills.

The graduate certificate programme covered areas including evidence-based design, healthcare facility guidelines, patient-centred design, functional programming, post-occupancy evaluations and the relationship between the built environment and patient outcomes.

Ms Mills added: “Healthcare planning involves much more than designing rooms and arranging spaces within a building. It requires an understanding of how healthcare facilities operate, how patients and staff interact with their environments, and how the physical layout can influence the delivery and quality of care.”

After receiving her architectural licence in 2023 following graduation from Oklahoma State University, Ms Mills has been a member of the TDG Architects team for nearly nine years. She currently serves as project architect, leading projects from initial concept through construction completion. 

Her interest in healthcare design first emerged in 2021, when she was assigned to a new-build project for an OB/GYN (obstetrician-gynecologist) practice. Since then, she has pursued healthcare facility projects within the firm, building focused expertise in a sector with distinct and complex design requirements.

For TDG Architects, the certification deepens the firm’s capacity to serve clients in the healthcare sector with an evidence-based, patient-centred approach. Carlos J. Hepburn, its managing partner, said: “Theshala has demonstrated exceptional commitment to her professional growth, and this certification is a natural extension of the expertise she has been building within the firm for years. 

“Healthcare design demands a level of specialisation that goes beyond general architectural practice, and having that depth in-house allows TDG Architects to serve our healthcare clients with greater knowledge and confidence. We are extremely proud of her achievement and honoured to be able to invest in the professional growth of our team members.”

Ms Mills said: “It strengthens TDG Architects’ ability to provide informed, specialised healthcare planning and design services while giving our clients access to an architect with a deeper understanding of the unique demands of healthcare environments. 

“Ultimately, it allows us to approach projects with a greater focus on patient care, safety, functionality,and long-term performance.” Ms Mills expressed particular interest in leading oncology centre design, hospitals, specialty clinics and outpatient treatment facilities, with a goal of expanding healthcare design capacity and leadership across The Bahamas.