Valentina Batas Jelicic
About Valentina Batas Jelicic
Valentina Batas Jelicic is a Senior Quality Assurance Manager at Kite Pharma, where she oversees quality processes related to raw materials and critical reagents. She holds a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Physical and Biophysical Chemistry from the University of Belgrade and has extensive experience in quality assurance and operations management in the pharmaceutical industry.
Current Role at Kite Pharma
Valentina Batas Jelicic currently serves as the Senior Quality Assurance Manager at Kite Pharma, a position she has held since 2021. In this role, she leads the quality assurance team responsible for overseeing the centralized quality processes and global disposition of raw materials and critical reagents across Kite Pharma's manufacturing network. This network includes four commercial sites, one clinical site, and one third-party logistics warehouse. She is also responsible for owning the Material Review Board (MRB) process for raw materials, ensuring that quality standards are met throughout the supply chain.
Previous Experience at Kite Pharma
Valentina has held multiple positions at Kite Pharma, contributing to the company's quality assurance efforts. She worked as a Quality Assurance Manager from 2020 to 2021 and as a Business Operations Manager in Quality from 2017 to 2020. Additionally, she served as a QC Project Manager for a six-month period in 2016. Her roles involved establishing collaborative relationships with stakeholders to address quality issues and implementing effective Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPAs).
Education and Expertise
Valentina Batas Jelicic earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Belgrade, where she studied from 1993 to 1999. She later pursued a Master’s Degree in Biophysical Chemistry at the same institution, completing her studies from 2003 to 2007. Her educational background provides her with a strong foundation in chemistry, which supports her expertise in quality assurance and management within the pharmaceutical industry.
Career History in Quality Assurance
Before joining Kite Pharma, Valentina held several key positions in quality assurance at other organizations. She worked as a Senior Quality Control Manager at Bimeda Inc from 2010 to 2014, and as a Principal Quality Lab Associate at Baxalta from 2014 to 2015, followed by a similar role at Shire from 2015 to 2016. Her experience in these roles involved managing quality control processes and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
Quality Management Responsibilities
In her current role, Valentina develops and manages strategies to ensure high-quality raw materials and reagents are provided to patients. She oversees the development, implementation, management, and obsolescence of raw material specifications. Additionally, she ensures alignment of the raw material disposition process with other quality systems, including Deviation, CAPA, validation, and jurisdictional control, which are critical for maintaining quality standards in pharmaceutical manufacturing.