Compensation Escalation Cycle
What does this mean?
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
The Path Forward
The Steward
Re-establishes board supremacy over executive extraction. It freezes compensation and mandates that all future financial rewards be tied strictly to verifiable mission expansion.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 22.8% | 45 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 9.5% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 7.9% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 3.7% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | 5.5% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 5.7% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 5.1% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 5.2% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 1.7% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 4.1% | 49 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 4.0% | 51 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 4.6% | 51 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 3.0% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUZANNE DAVIDSON | Executive Director | 4.1% of Rev | ||
| MARIE-LOUISE STEGALL | DIR Development | 2.3% of Rev | ||
| MICHAEL SOLOMON | DIR Administration | 1.7% of Rev | ||
| ELINOR L HOOVER | Board Member | — | ||
| PHYLLIS GRANN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT HOGLUND | Board President | — | ||
| PETER W KEEGAN | Board President | — | ||
| TATIANA POUSCHINE | Treasurer | — | ||
| PAUL B GRIDLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| SALLY CLEMENT | Board Member | — | ||
| JOSEPH COHEN | Board Member | — | ||
| JOYCE COWIN | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA DAINES | Board Member | — | ||
| PETER DUCHIN | Board Member | — | ||
| JUDY EVNIN | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER GARRETT | Board Member | — | ||
| WILLIAM GINSBERG | Board Member | — | ||
| WALTER HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP HOWARD | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER HUGHES | Board Member | — | ||
| PRISCILLA KAUFF | Treasurer | — | ||
| VICKI KELLOGG | Board Member | — | ||
| HELEN LEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN LINDSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES O'SHAUGHNESSY | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD PRINS | Secretary | — | ||
| SUSAN VAUCHER | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN WALLACH | Board President | — | ||
| ALAN WEILER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHE WILLIAMSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID NIEMEC | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzanne Davidson | Executive Director | 3.7% of Rev | ||
| Marie-Louise Stegal | Board Member | 2.0% of Rev | ||
| Michael Solomon | Board Member | 1.4% of Rev | ||
| Elinor L Hoover | Board President | — | ||
| Robert Hoglund | Board President | — | ||
| Peter W Keegan | Board President | — | ||
| Tatiana Pouschine | Treasurer | — | ||
| Paul B Gridley | Secretary | — | ||
| Nasrin Abdolai | Board Member | — | ||
| Sally Dayton Clement | Board Member | — | ||
| Joseph M Cohen | Board Member | — | ||
| Joyce B Cowin | Board Member | — | ||
| Linda S Daines | Board Member | — | ||
| Peter Duchin | Board Member | — | ||
| Judy Evnin | Board Member | — | ||
| Jennifer PA Garrett | Board Member | — | ||
| William B Ginsberg | Board Member | — | ||
| Walter L Harris | Board Member | — | ||
| Philip K Howard | Board Member | — | ||
| Christopher R Hughes | Board Member | — | ||
| Priscilla F Kauff | Treasurer | — | ||
| Vicki Kellogg | Board Member | — | ||
| Helen Brown Levine | Board Member | — | ||
| John L Lindsey | Board Member | — | ||
| James P O'Shaughnessy | Board Member | — | ||
| Richard Prins | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Vaucher | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Wallach | Board Member | — | ||
| Alan Weiler | Board Member | — | ||
| Kathe Williamson | Board Member | — | ||
| Phyllis Grann | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 699 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 31 points above the peer median (60 vs. 29).
5-year trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle
Revenue grows modestly, but top officer compensation grows consistently for 5 years, breaching danger zones. The executive is negotiating aggressive raises against a compliant board.
Overall score has gone from 54 → 45 over 5 years (declining by 9 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 22.8% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 22.8% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~5 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.