Krista Berger, WIC Coordinator, Essex County Department of Health
- 22 years of Service
Krista Berger never approaches a problem without putting her heart and soul into formulating a solid solution. She is what some call a “Connector,” someone who is connected to many diverse communities and is skilled at bringing them together around a common cause. As WIC Coordinator, Krista has relationships with local farms and has arranged for the farms to donate their “extra” produce to the Essex County WIC program. She has secured grants to pay for large glass refrigeration units to store and keep the produce fresh. She also developed a distribution system, utilizing county employees, friends, and community-based organizations, to deliver the fresh produce to their neighbors on a weekly basis, and at no charge.
Krista’s ability to connect people with the supplies and services they need was put to the test during COVID-19 pandemic response. In addition to her regular duties, Krista took on double duty as a Contact Tracer. She worked tirelessly to assure that the needs of citizens in isolation/quarantine were met. Her ability to see what the community needs, and to coordinate with community-based organizations is a true asset to the Public Health Department and the people of Essex County.
