Her Story
About Chrystal
Chrystal R. Gage is a Human Resources Manager at SoPark Corporation in Hamburg, New York, where she oversees the full life cycle employee experience within a manufacturing environment. With nearly 15 years of professional experience spanning human resources, supervision, training, employee relations, and operations, she supports both employees and leadership while contributing to tactical and strategic HR initiatives. Her responsibilities include recruitment and onboarding, employee relations, benefits administration, payroll processing, leave management, compliance, workplace safety, training, investigations, attendance management, documentation, and retention initiatives.
Gage's professional background includes progressive experience in human resources and supervisory roles across manufacturing and contact-center environments. Before joining SoPark Corporation in January 2023, she served as an HR Generalist II at Viatran Pressure & Level Sensors, an HR Generalist at TX RX Systems, and an HR Generalist at The Connection Contact Center. Earlier in her career, she worked as a Supervisor at PowerNet Global Communications. Her approach to HR emphasizes process improvement, strategic leadership, communication, employee engagement, employee relations, compliance, and building trust between employees and management. She is particularly focused on creating a workplace where employees feel heard, supported, and comfortable bringing concerns forward.
Gage earned her bachelor's degree in Human Resources Management and Services from Southern New Hampshire University in 2025, graduating with a 4.0 GPA, and also studied Communication and Human Resources at Jamestown Business College. She attributes her professional success to strong interpersonal and communication skills, empathy, emotional intelligence, problem-solving, and her ability to serve as a trusted organizational resource. Her professional philosophy is grounded in integrity, kindness, honesty, and supporting the well-being of those around her. She also advocates for thoughtful career research, mentorship and conversations with experienced professionals, continuous personal development, and maintaining a healthy outlet outside of the demands of Human Resources.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Chrystal
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my interpersonal and communication skills, strong employee-relations abilities, empathy, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills. I consider myself an inherent fixer who is willing to step in, identify challenges, and work toward practical solutions. I have also worked to become a trusted resource for both employees and leadership, and I am proud that many employees feel comfortable reaching out to me personally when they need support.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I have received is to always keep my integrity intact, regardless of the circumstances. There are times when people may ask you to step outside established boundaries or do something you cannot ethically or professionally support. Even when refusing is difficult, I believe it is essential to remain true to your values and maintain your integrity.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women entering Human Resources to do their due diligence and thoroughly research the field, including how to begin in an entry-level or assistant role and how different career paths can develop over time. Speak with people who have already taken those paths and ask what they find fulfilling, what challenges they have encountered, and whether they would make the same choices again. If the experiences are more positive than negative, pursue the opportunity. I would also encourage anyone entering HR to develop a healthy personal outlet, because the profession can be isolating and emotionally consuming, and it is important to have ways to recharge and take care of yourself.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in Human Resources is that the role can be isolating. Employees often come to HR when they need support, but HR professionals may not always have someone they can turn to themselves. It can also be challenging to separate personal emotions from difficult workplace situations.
At the same time, HR provides significant opportunities to give employees a voice, improve work-life balance, and develop policies that positively affect their working lives. There are also opportunities to strengthen relationships between management and production employees, bridge organizational gaps, and take a proactive approach to employee retention.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that are most important to me are ensuring that the people around me are happy and content, while consistently maintaining integrity, kindness, and honesty. I believe these values are important both professionally and personally and help guide how I communicate, build relationships, make decisions, and support the people around me.
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