Written By: Tracey Khan
Our culture often equates success with prestigious job titles and executive offices, Racheal Yates made a decision many considered unthinkable.
After spending more than a decade building an accomplished career in higher education, including leadership roles at Stanford University and the University of San Francisco, the Jamaican-born executive chose to leave corporate security behind to pursue what she says was impossible to ignore: Purpose.
“I knew I wasn’t walking away from success,” Yates said. “I was walking toward my assignment.”
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Yates immigrated to Queens,New York at age 7, carrying with her resilience, faith and community. Those values shaped her educational journey through the College of Saint Benedict and later the University of San Francisco, where she developed expertise in communication, psychology and organizational leadership.
Throughout her career, Yates managed multimillion-dollar operations, led crisis response initiatives and oversaw residential communities serving thousands of students. Yet despite professional achievements, she felt increasingly called to create something that addressed people beyond performance metrics.
That vision became Divine Global, a New York-based enterprise founded in 2025 that integrates leadership consulting, faith-centered healing, and community development into a single ecosystem.
Its three branches, Divine Solutions, Divine Ministries, and the forthcoming Divine Foundation: The Lovia Wright Initiative, are designed to strengthen both individuals and institutions through leadership development, emotional wellness and educational opportunity.
Yates believes organizations cannot thrive if the people within them remain exhausted or disconnected from purpose.
“We spend so much time fixing systems without healing the people operating inside them,” she said.
Her philosophy has resonated with entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, and executives seeking a more sustainable approach to leadership.
Earlier this year, she introduced The Founder’s Table, a gathering that replaced traditional networking with intentional conversations about burnout, business growth, and authentic leadership.
Rather than matching attendees by industry alone, participants were paired based on shared challenges and complementary expertise, creating an environment focused on collaboration instead of competition.
As Divine Global continues expanding nationally, Yates remains focused on impact rather than accolades.
The next chapter includes launching Divine Foundation: The Lovia Wright Initiative, to support first-generation college students, immigrants, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
For Yates, legacy isn’t defined by the titles she left behind.
“It’s about the lives you help transform after the titles are gone,” she said.
Images Courtesy of Racheal Yates
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