NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, January 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Out for Undergrad (O4U) proudly announces the appointment of Raquel Barlow, Director of Clients & Partnerships at hellohive, as the Director of the 2026 O4U Business Conference, to be held on October 8-10, 2026 at Deutsche Bank Center in New York. The 2026 conference will expand beyond traditional business disciplines to welcome undergraduate students majoring in or interested in tech-enabled business, data analytics, and artificial intelligence—reflecting the rapid evolution of today’s workplaces and leadership pipelines.
“We are so fortunate and honored that Raquel has chosen O4U as a community in which to lead and contribute her gifts,” said Dr. Cindi Love, Executive Director of O4U. “Our Leadership Development strategy offers leaders like Raquel an incredibly challenging and fulfilling opportunity to refine their already exceptional skills and instincts. We look for people who are drawn to service—particularly young leaders who understand and successfully navigate the barriers others face as they enter the workforce.”
Barlow first volunteered with O4U as Admissions Lead while at AllianceBernstein, where she oversaw recruitment partnerships in collaboration with hiring managers, senior leadership, and employee resource groups (ERGs) and managed the full lifecycle of the HBCU Scholars internship program. Earlier, she served as Senior Manager of DEI Strategy at Cracker Barrel, developing and executing organizational inclusion initiatives for more than 80,000 employees in collaboration with the company’s C-Suite, Board, and interdepartmental leaders.
At hellohive, O4U’s strategic partner, Barlow now leads initiatives powered by the company’s three-times-patented résumé technology, helping employers and early-career candidates build meaningful engagement and inclusive recruiting pipelines. “Raquel represents exactly the kind of forward-looking, empathetic leadership our industry and communities need,” said Byron Slosar, Founder & CEO of hellohive and co-chair of O4U’s Momentum campaign. “Her commitment to elevating underrepresented talent and ensuring access to opportunity aligns perfectly with hellohive’s mission and O4U’s extraordinary legacy.”
Recognized by the Nashville Business Journal and local Nashville CABLE chapter as a Leader, Facilitator, and HR Professional, Barlow also serves as Vice President of the Tennessee Pride Chamber of Commerce (TPCC), Executive Board Member and Professional Development Chair for the Urban League Young Professionals of Middle Tennessee (ULYM-MT). She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Human Development Counseling from Vanderbilt University.
Raquel said: “Since first connecting with O4U in 2021 as a sponsor, this community has had a lasting impact on me. I’ve been fortunate to serve on the team alongside incredible conference leads who have inspired and guided me. Now, I’m honored to continue that legacy—working with our students, sponsors, and partners to make the2026 Conference a truly transformative experience.”
“In every conversation about the future of work, one truth remains: technology may augment us, but humanity will define us,” added Dr. Love. “The leaders who thrive will be those who insist on their replaceable value of compassion, context, and conscience. We believe Raquel is one of those leaders. We invite our 200+ sponsors to join us in co-creating opportunities for the next generation of leaders who will be judged by the quality of ecosystems they sustain, not just revenue, scale, shareholder return but also psychological safety, ethical use of technology, community resilience, and long-term value creation.”
Dr. Cindi Love
Out for Undergrad
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