The Redstone Strategy Group is a consulting firm which serves left-leaning activist groups, philanthropic institutions, and private companies. Redstone explicitly identifies itself with left-wing politics, describing itself as “in the business of social change” and touting its race, gender, and identity-based hiring criteria. ¹ The firm’s clients include the International Planned Parenthood Federation, a leading global abortion and contraception promoter and provider; the Environmental Defense Fund, a prominent environmentalist activist group; and several top liberal grantmaking organizations. ²

In January 2023, Redstone merged with Arabella Advisors, becoming a division of this major left-of-center philanthropic consulting and management company. ³

Parent Organization

As of January 2023, the Redstone Strategy Group is an affiliate of the influential liberal consulting firm Arabella Advisors, which was founded in 2005 by former Clinton administration staffer Eric Kessler and manages several major philanthropies, including the New Venture Fund and the Sixteen Thirty Fund. The firm and its subordinate entities have generated billions of dollars in revenue by providing consulting services to friendly organizations, as well as through direct donations from left-of-center grantmakers. Arabella Advisors has received criticism not only from right-of-center observers but also from liberal publications including the New York Times and the Washington Post, which described the firm as a “dark money” channel and brought attention to its funding of political candidates. ⁴

Issues

The Redstone Strategy Group primarily offers its services to clients focused on environmentalism, and wealth redistribution, as well as liberal education and healthcare policy. ⁵

Abortion

Redstone has published several case studies on its work for pro-abortion organizations, including the International Planned Parenthood Federation. ⁶

Environmentalism

Redstone supports projects to implement the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. In particular, the firm touts its “long-term partnership” with the ClimateWorks Foundation, a pass-through grantmaking organization for efforts to create legal and financial penalties for the use of fossil fuels and to restrict the use of cars. Redstone has also worked with the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to help them identify environmentalist causes to support. ⁷

Wealth Redistribution

Redstone has written briefs for clients which advocate for left-wing economic policies and government spending practices, such as granting contracts based on minority status and creating partnerships between municipal governments and liberal philanthropies to fund programs aimed at race-based equality of outcome. ⁸

Clients

As of January 2023, when the Redstone Strategy Group merged into Arabella Advisors, the firm was providing or had provided services to several prominent left-of-center advocacy groups. These included the pro-abortion International Planned Parenthood Federation; the anti-fossil fuel Environmental Defense Fund, which has paid the firm at least $295,000; and the left-leaning charity United Way, which has paid the firm at least $165,000. The firm was also working with major left-leaning philanthropic organizations such as the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust, the Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. ^{9 10 11}

Leadership

Nathan Huttner is the managing director of the Redstone Strategy Group. He has worked for the firm since 2009 and has primarily focused on developing tactics for promoting liberal education policies. Huttner received a master’s degree in business administration from Yale University. ¹²

Jeremy Avins is a principal at the Redstone Strategy Group and runs the firm’s New York office. He previously worked for the White House Office of Management and Budget, as well as the Hope Enterprise Corporation, an activist group for left-wing fiscal and development policy in the American South. Avins received a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and a master’s degree in business administration from Stanford University, as well as a bachelor’s degree from Yale University. ¹³

Stacey Chen is a principal at the Redstone Strategy Group and runs the firm’s California office. She has an extensive background in left-wing advocacy on issues including abortion, education, and the environment, as well as race and gender issues. She has also worked for the United States Department of State. Chen received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from Yale University. ¹⁴

1. “About.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/about/
2. “Our Clients.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/about/
3. Nathan Huttner. “Redstone Joins Forces with Arabella Advisors.” Redstone Strategy. January 19, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/2023/01/19/redstone-joins-arabella-advisors/
4. Nathan Huttner. “Redstone Joins Forces with Arabella Advisors.” Redstone Strategy. January 19, 2023. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/2023/01/19/redstone-joins-arabella-advisors/
5. “Sectors.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/sectors/
6. “Case Studies.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/case-studies/
7. “Climate & Energy.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/sectors/climate-energy/
8. “Economic Equity.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/sectors/economic-equity/
9. “Our Clients.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/about/
10. Environmental Defense Fund, Incorporated 2018 Internal Revenue Service Form 990. Accessed February 6, 2023.

    https://www.edf.org/sites/default/files/content/FY19_EDF_990.pdf

11. United Way of New York City 2018 Internal Revenue Service Form 990. Accessed February 6, 2023.

    https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/132617681/202041419349300509/full

12. Nathan Huttner. Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/people/nathan-huttner/
13. “Jeremy Avins.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/people/jeremy-avins/
14. “Stacey Chen.” Redstone Strategy. Accessed February 4, 2023. https://www.redstonestrategy.com/people/stacey-chen/