Texcell North America, the U.S. division of global contract research organization Texcell, has appointed Tara Crnkovich as Chief Executive Officer. Based in Frederick, Maryland, Texcell specializes in viral safety testing and services that support the development and manufacture of biologics, cell and gene therapies, vaccines, and other advanced therapies. With nearly four decades of expertise in viral safety, the company partners with biopharmaceutical sponsors worldwide to help ensure the safety, quality, and regulatory compliance of complex biological products.
About Tara Crnkovich
As CEO, Crnkovich will lead Texcell North America’s next phase of growth, bringing together decades of operational leadership, quality expertise, and commercial discipline to strengthen the company’s position as a trusted partner for biopharmaceutical innovators. With more than 25 years of experience spanning GMP manufacturing, quality systems transformation, inspection readiness, GxP compliance, and organizational leadership, she is well positioned to guide the organization as demand for advanced biologics and viral safety services continues to expand.
Before joining Texcell, Crnkovich served as Head of QA Operations at Arcellx, where she helped build and advance quality operations for a rapidly growing cell therapy company. Earlier, she spent more than five years at AstraZeneca in manufacturing sciences leadership roles following nearly a decade at MedImmune, where she held positions of increasing responsibility across manufacturing sciences, validation, and quality assurance. Her career also includes leadership and technical roles at CoGenesys, Wyeth Biotech, CRB Consulting Engineers, and O’Neal Engineering, providing broad experience across biologics manufacturing, process validation, and quality operations.
Throughout her career, Crnkovich has focused on helping organizations navigate operational complexity while maintaining rigorous quality and regulatory standards. Her expertise spans viral safety, viral clearance, bioassays, custom cell culture, cell banking, and the operational execution required to support the development of increasingly sophisticated biological therapies. This combination of scientific understanding and executive leadership aligns closely with Texcell’s mission of delivering both technical excellence and responsive client partnerships.
Reflecting on the transition, Crnkovich shared, “Some career chapters leave a real mark. I’m deeply grateful for my time at Arcellx—for the people, the mission, the hard work, and everything I learned along the way. I’m excited to share that I’ve started a new chapter as CEO of Texcell North America. Texcell has been a trusted expert in viral safety since 1987, and I’m honored to lead Texcell North America into its next phase of growth—bringing scientific depth, operational focus, and trusted partnership to the sponsors we support. Grateful for where I’ve been. Energized for what’s ahead.” Her academic background includes a Master of Science in Biotechnology from the University of Maryland, a Bachelor of Science from West Virginia University, and a Certificate in Organizational Leadership from Villanova University.
About Texcell North America
Founded in 1987, Texcell is a global contract research organization specializing in viral safety testing and services for the biopharmaceutical industry. The company supports sponsors developing biologics, cell and gene therapies, vaccines, and other advanced therapeutic products through viral safety testing, viral clearance studies, custom cell culture, cell banking, and bioassays. Recognized for its scientific expertise and regulatory knowledge, Texcell combines deep technical capabilities with operational rigor to help clients accelerate product development while meeting the highest standards of safety and compliance.
