Russell Redenbaugh

Blind from the age of 16, Russell Redenbaugh's achievement as a successful investor and economist, a Commissioner on the US Civil Rights Commission serving under three US Presidents and a three time gold medal jiujitsu world champion fighting sighted opponents, prove that if he can, you can.

Russell's life as a typical 16 year old boy changed in an instant. The homemade rocket he was building exploded in his hands, nearly killing him. After 8 months and 25 surgeries, doctors said, "We have done all we can do. You will be blind the rest of your life." Now blind with limited use of both hands, Russell decided he would not live life as a typical handicapped person - poor, dependent and homebound. He would live in the sighted world doing things that sighted people do.

Russell transformed himself into a serious student and graduated from the University of Utah, first in his class. Both Harvard and Stanford declined his admission since no blind person could manage programs like theirs. Those schools held the narratives to make that true, while Russell went on to graduate fifth in his class from the Wharton business school at the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation Russell found it hard to land his first job, having 48 interviews with 48 no’s. It was then that a small Philadelphia money management firm decided that they were in the business of investing and decided to invest, that is take a chance, on Russell.

Russell went on to become Chief Investment Officer and helped grow the firm to $6 billion in assets. After successfully selling the firm, Russell moved on to teach at Wharton and serve as a Commissioner on the US Civil Rights Commission for fifteen years where he developed a deeper understanding between economic policy and financial markets. Outside of business Russell earned a black belt in jiujitsu (the first blind person to do so) and won three gold medals in the world championships held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil... fighting sighted opponents.

Russell now spends time Shifting Lives as an author, Shifting Wealth through his investment research and advisory companies and Shifting Audiences through his speaking services. He lives in the greater Philidelphia area and is involved in a new philanthropic pursuit:

For more information visit: https://www.shift-narrative.foundation/