Red Queen Group, LLC

RQG is an advisor and resource for nonprofits, community-based organizations and philanthropists. The Red Queen Hypothesis states that to survive an evolving system, one must co-evolve with the best traits to survive that system. Given the forces shaping our business environment today nonprofit organizations must stay quick and adaptable to stay relevant - just keeping up requires continuing adaptation. Drawing on theories of sustainability applied to community-based business models, RQG assists organizations in adapting, evolving, and proliferating to gain advantage while pitted against ever-evolving competition in a dynamic environment.

Understanding that nonprofits are fundamentally community models, RQG helps its clients understand the factors mandating change, and how those changes impact organizational and leadership transition. Our work is focused in the areas of strategic and transition management with a particular focus on creating impactful and effective leadership. Services include leadership development, including leadership transition and training, strategy consulting, organizational assessment and environmental scan. RQG consultants collaborate with nonprofit and philanthropic leaders to attain more sustainable community-based business models that build leadership, advance philanthropic and programmatic effectiveness and accelerate learning while adapting and accommodating to an environment characterized by accelerating change and innovation.

"It takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place." The Red Queen, Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking Glass.”

Gilles Mesrobian

In addition to his role at RQG, Gilles Mesrobian is a Senior Associate at the Support Center for Nonprofit Management/Partners in Philanthropy. His credentials include over 26 years senior management experience in the nonprofit arena, with over 20 years as an Executive Director. His consulting experience covers a broad range of organizational work in the nonprofit and philanthropic sector, including executive leadership transition, organizational assessment, executive search, strategic planning, leadership development, retreats and trainings.

In addition to his role at RQG, Gilles is on the faculty of Bard College’s MBA in Sustainability Program where he teaches Personal Leadership Development. He is also affiliated with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management where he serves as a Senior Consultant. Gilles facilitates several leadership training programs including the Support Center’s Trajectory Leadership Program, a yearlong cohort-learning program for Executive Directors, as well as the CT Council of Family Service Agency’s yearlong leadership program, both of which are funded through the American Express Leadership Institute. Gilles is a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and a guest facilitator for BoardSource’s webinar series, as well as the Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Live Discussion series.