Today we’d like to introduce you to Krista Berardelli.
Hi Krista, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career journey has been anything but linear — and I think that’s what makes it meaningful.
I got my start in 2015 as an intern at Lehigh Valley International Airport while I was a student at Kutztown University. What began as an internship quickly turned into a part-time role as a Marketing Associate while I finished my degree, and eventually evolved into a full-time position as a Marketing Coordinator. Aviation wasn’t necessarily something I had envisioned myself in, but I fell in love with the pace, the community, and the challenge of marketing something as dynamic as travel. It was there that I really learned the foundations of strategy, communication, and relationship-building.
In 2021, after navigating the unprecedented challenges that COVID brought to the aviation industry, I made the difficult decision to pursue a new opportunity. I stepped into the role of Marketing Director at The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley. That role expanded my leadership capacity significantly. I oversaw social media strategy, center-wide marketing initiatives, advertising sales, major event execution, public relations, tenant coordination, and even supported local leasing efforts. It was fast-paced, multifaceted, and incredibly formative. I learned how to think bigger, lead cross-functional teams, and manage large-scale initiatives with confidence.
Then came another unexpected turn.
I was sought out to join Agentis Plumbing as Business Development Director. To be honest, plumbing wasn’t on my radar as a career path — but neither was aviation or retail when those opportunities first came along. What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m not necessarily tied to an industry; I’m driven by impact, culture, and growth. So I took the leap.
And I am so incredibly thankful that I did.
Joining Agentis felt like coming home. From day one, our values aligned. I was given autonomy, trust, and the opportunity to build something meaningful. What surprised me most was just how fulfilling this work is. At its core, plumbing is about people’s most basic needs — water, comfort, safety. When something goes wrong in someone’s home or business, it matters. Being part of a team that genuinely helps people in those moments has given my work a deeper sense of purpose.
Looking back, every chapter prepared me for the next. Aviation taught me resilience and adaptability. Retail sharpened my leadership and execution skills. And now, at Agentis, I get to combine strategy, relationship-building, and business growth in a way that feels aligned both professionally and personally.
I didn’t set out with a perfectly mapped plan — but I’ve learned to trust the pivots. Each step has brought me closer to work that feels impactful, values-driven, and fulfilling. And I’m excited to keep building from here.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When I mentioned starting as an intern at Lehigh Valley International Airport, what I didn’t share is that I actually made the decision the following summer of my junior year to leave the airport temporarily and take an internship with Target. I was a double major in Marketing and Management at Kutztown University, and I genuinely didn’t know which direction I wanted to go. Target gave me exposure to the management side — fast-paced retail leadership, long hours, and real operational responsibility.
That experience led to a very difficult decision upon graduation. I had two offers in front of me: return to the airport in a marketing role that I loved but that paid less, or accept a well-paying management position with Target that I knew would demand everything from me. It was one of the first major crossroads of my career.
I ultimately chose the airport.
At the time, it felt risky to walk away from the higher salary, but looking back, that decision paid me back tenfold. The airport gave me exposure to high-level executives, major community events, crisis communication during COVID, and invaluable networking opportunities. It reinforced something I still believe deeply: money may satisfy one piece of your life, but it doesn’t necessarily fulfill all of it. Growth, mentorship, experience, and alignment matter just as much — if not more.
Another major challenge came when I decided to leave the airport in 2021. That was incredibly hard. I truly felt like my work there wasn’t done. It had been my professional home since I was 19 years old. But I also knew there was a ceiling, and if I wanted to stretch myself, I had to step outside of what was comfortable.
Joining The Promenade Shops at Saucon Valley stretched me in ways I couldn’t have imagined. With a team of just five people running an entire shopping center anchored by a movie theater and grocery store, it was all hands on deck at all times. While my title was Marketing Director, I was involved in far more than marketing. I had visibility into operations, accounting, finance, tenant relations, leasing strategy — you name it. It sharpened my business acumen and forced me to think holistically about how an entire ecosystem functions.
I am beyond thankful for that experience. But I’ll also say, it was intense. The role was very task-driven and often felt like putting out fire after fire. And as I started thinking about welcoming a family into the world one day, I realized it wasn’t something I could sustainably do forever. That awareness didn’t come overnight — but I’m so grateful I recognized it when I did.
What’s funny is that my introduction to Agentis Plumbing wasn’t even a job interview — at least not officially. They were a potential client. I was in the process of selling them advertising at the time. Little did I know, those early meetings were essentially an interview from the start.
When the idea of becoming their first-ever Business Development Director was presented to me, I was hesitant. It was a family-run business, and it was in the service industry — two things I had no prior experience in. Change is scary, especially when you’re stepping into something that doesn’t look like your resume.
But once again, I took the leap.
And it was exactly the change I needed.
Where my previous role was reactive and task-heavy, my position at Agentis is thoughtful and strategic. I’m trusted with autonomy. I get to think long-term, build relationships, and help grow a company that provides something as essential as water and plumbing services — basic human needs. The work feels meaningful in a different way.
So no, it hasn’t been smooth. There were tough decisions, moments of doubt, financial trade-offs, and fear of change. But each pivot taught me something critical — about values, about sustainability, about what fulfillment really looks like.
And every time I chose growth over comfort, it led me exactly where I needed to be.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
At my core, I’m a relationship-builder and strategic connector.
As the Business Development Director at Agentis Plumbing, I focus on growth — but not just in the traditional sense of sales numbers. I specialize in building meaningful partnerships, strengthening community presence, identifying new opportunities, and creating long-term strategies that position our company as both a trusted service provider and a valued local partner. My background in marketing allows me to approach business development creatively and holistically. I’m always thinking about brand perception, customer experience, partnerships, and how everything connects to the bigger picture.
Because I’ve worked in aviation, retail, and now the home services industry, I’ve developed a wide-angle business lens. I understand operations, public relations, event execution, advertising, and relationship management — and I use that cross-industry perspective to think differently about growth. I’m known for being proactive, thoughtful, and community-focused. I don’t believe in transactional relationships; I believe in long-term ones.
Something I created a few years back is my personal brand – Krista in the Valley. This brand has become an extension of who I am professionally and personally. It started as a way to highlight local businesses, events, and hidden gems throughout the Lehigh Valley, but it’s evolved into a platform centered on connection. Through that initiative, I’ve been able to support small businesses, amplify community stories, and create authentic engagement outside of my corporate role. It’s allowed me to merge my professional skill set with my passion for the region I call home.
Another thing I’m most passionate about outside my day-to-day work is Rock to Remember, a community-driven nonprofit I helped launch to honor my father’s legacy. Rock to Remember was founded in memory of Tony Berardelli, a passionate musician and rock-and-roll enthusiast, to amplify the power of music while raising awareness and support for benign brain tumor research and the families affected by it — a cause deeply personal to me and my family. The mission behind Rock to Remember is to keep my dad’s love for music alive while giving back — through fundraising events, live performances, community outreach, scholarships for students pursuing music and the arts, and support for those impacted by brain tumors. Every dollar raised goes toward research, treatment awareness, music scholarships, and local music programming that reflects the joy and connection music brings to people’s lives. For me, Rock to Remember, has been some of the most meaningful work I’ve been involved in because it blends purpose with impact, and it connects the community around something that matters deeply to me.
What sets me apart is that I don’t separate business from community. I genuinely believe the strongest companies are the ones that embed themselves into the fabric of where they operate. I think long-term. I care deeply. And I’m willing to take calculated risks — whether that’s pivoting industries, stepping into a brand-new role, or launching a platform that didn’t previously exist.
More than titles or milestones, what I’m most proud of is the trust I’ve built — with leadership, with partners, and with the community. I’m trusted to think strategically, to execute thoughtfully, and to represent brands in a way that feels authentic.
At the end of the day, I help businesses grow — but I do it through relationships, creativity, and purpose. And that combination is what truly sets me apart.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
If I had to choose one quality that’s been most important to my success, it would be the willingness to bet on myself — even when the path isn’t obvious.
Looking back at my career, almost every major step required me to choose growth over comfort. Leaving the airport internship to explore management at Target. Turning down a higher salary to return to a role that aligned more with my long-term goals. Walking away from a place that felt like home because I knew I had hit a ceiling. Stepping into retail leadership without fully knowing what it would demand. And then taking a leap into a family-run plumbing company — an industry I had zero experience in — to become their first-ever Business Development Director.
None of those decisions were easy. Each one came with uncertainty. But I’ve learned that clarity doesn’t always come before action — sometimes it comes because of action.
Betting on myself has also meant trusting my values. I’ve chosen culture over compensation. Sustainability over status. Purpose over predictability. And every time I’ve made a decision rooted in alignment rather than fear, it has paid off — not always immediately, but in growth, fulfillment, and impact.
That willingness to step into the unknown has also shaped how I lead. I’m not afraid to try new ideas, build something that hasn’t existed before, or create opportunities where there aren’t clear roadmaps — whether that’s launching Rock to Remember, building Krista in the Valley, or stepping into a brand-new business development role.
Success, to me, hasn’t come from having a perfect plan. It’s come from resilience, adaptability, and trusting that I can figure things out.
And every time I’ve taken that leap, it’s led me exactly where I was meant to be.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://agentisplumbing.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristainthevalley/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090857785604
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/krista-berardelli-61ab83a6/
- Other: https://fundrazr.com/92d6Va
