Chithkala Harinarayan
About Chithkala Harinarayan
Chithkala Harinarayan is a Senior Director of Clinical Quality at Kite Pharma, where she has worked since 2020. She has extensive experience in biotech, having held various roles at Genentech and Kite Pharma, focusing on quality assurance and process development.
Current Role at Kite Pharma
Chithkala Harinarayan serves as the Senior Director of Clinical Quality at Kite Pharma, a position she has held since 2020. In this role, she is responsible for implementing phase-appropriate strategies and overseeing global raw materials release. Her work focuses on ensuring that clinical quality standards are met within the organization. Kite Pharma is located in Santa Monica, California, where she contributes to the company's mission in the biotech sector.
Previous Experience at Genentech
Prior to her current role, Chithkala Harinarayan worked at Genentech for over a decade. She held various positions including Site Risk Manager from 2014 to 2017, Group Leader in Process Development from 2004 to 2008, and Program Head for Process Validation from 2008 to 2014. Additionally, she served as an Associate to Senior Engineer in Process Development from 1999 to 2004. Her tenure at Genentech provided her with extensive experience in quality assurance and process development.
Career Progression at Kite Pharma
Chithkala Harinarayan has held multiple roles at Kite Pharma before her current position. She was the Director of Quality Systems (Clinical) from 2017 to 2018 and the Director of QA Operations (Commercial) from 2018 to 2020. Her progression within the company highlights her expertise in quality systems and operations, contributing to her current leadership role in clinical quality.
Education and Technical Expertise
Chithkala Harinarayan holds a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering from Colorado State University, which she completed from 1994 to 1996. She also earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, from 1990 to 1994. Her educational background supports her strong technical expertise in biotech, particularly in quality assurance, quality systems, and quality engineering for clinical manufacturing.
Leadership in Complex Initiatives
Chithkala Harinarayan has a proven track record of leading long and complex initiatives both within and outside her core area of expertise. This experience is reflected in her roles at both Kite Pharma and Genentech, where she has managed significant projects that require a deep understanding of quality processes and regulatory requirements in the biotech industry.