Xandria Kovacic

Role: Consultant

Team: Amigo Acids

In this month's #TeamKC Spotlight, we highlight Xandria Kovacic, Consultant and Pod Lead of the "Amigo Acids" team here at Karchem Consulting. Xandria discusses how Karchem Consulting allows her to blend her science passion with her people skills, what it's been like to grow from Karchem Consulting's first employee to a team leader, why Karchem Consulting has the best team around, and much more.

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When Xandria Kovacic joined Karchem Consulting, the company was still defining itself. Demand was growing faster than capacity, processes were evolving in real time, and the path forward wasn’t always clear. For some, that level of uncertainty might feel daunting. For Xandria, it felt like home.

With an undergraduate degree in chemical and biological engineering, Xandria began her career in a computationally guided protein engineering laboratory, where she applied recombinant protein expression, structure-based design, and X-ray crystallography to support applications ranging from biosensor development to targeted drug-delivery systems. While the scientific research was impactful, what left the strongest impression was the early autonomy and trust placed in her to design experiments, interpret structural biology data, and drive projects forward.

“During that time, I gained hands-on experience across the full research lifecycle,” Xandria said. “I led projects, designed experiments end to end, and even trained Ph.D. students on protocols, which is something many undergraduates don’t get to do.”

That early ownership shaped how she approaches her work today: with curiosity, accountability, and a bias toward action. But some of her most formative lessons came well before her career in science and lab informatics. In addition to working in the lab, Xandria worked at a small, family-run used book and record store, an environment defined by unpredictability and minimal structure. There, she learned how to stay calm in fast-paced situations, read people quickly, and bring order to chaos. Those skills would later become central to her leadership style.

When Karchem Consulting founder Talia Karchem approached Xandria about joining the firm in its early days, the opportunity immediately resonated.

“It’s important to me that my work has a meaningful goal and a strong purpose,” Xandria said–particularly in an industry where how data is managed can directly influence whether a scientific program succeeds or stalls.

Karchem Consulting’s mission to help biotech teams implement and optimize lab software in ways that truly fit their scientific workflow, operational budgets, and long-term R&D goals aligned naturally with Xandria’s desire to work at the intersection of science, technology, and people.

“It just made sense to combine all three,” she said.

From the outset, Xandria was embedded directly with biotech clients, contributing to lab informatics engagements while learning on the job. As the firm grew, her role evolved from project support to independent execution, then to leading full ELN and LIMS implementations and helping shape team delivery standards.

“I went from shadowing Talia, to running projects on my own,” she said. “I’ve also been able to interview and help train everyone we’ve added to the team.”

Today, Karchem Consulting has grown to a 15-person organization, and Xandria manages a team of six. She credits the company's growth to its intentional focus on both people and process.

“We have strong attention to detail,” she said. “We take the time to think through everything, from how we run projects to how we make hiring decisions. That level of consistency has been really important to the company’s growth.”

Outside of Karchem Consulting, Xandria is dedicated to continuous learning and community engagement. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in biotechnology management at Mount Marty University. Xandria volunteers actively with the Bio Pharma Networking Group (BPNG) and the local Rotary Club, demonstrating her commitment to the biotech community and broader service. In her personal time, she and her husband tackle home renovation projects. Xandria emphasizes staying curious, gaining new perspectives, and continually expanding her professional and personal skill set.

As Karchem Consulting continues to scale, Xandria remains a steady and influential leader within the organization – bringing clarity to complex challenges, supporting teams through change, and helping ensure the firm’s growth is guided by both purpose and intention. Her journey reflects the kind of ownership, curiosity, and leadership that define Karchem Consulting’s culture and the people driving its future. 

Learn more about the Karchem Consulting team here.