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.
Title
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 41.7% | 53 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 12.6% | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 9.7% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 16.4% | 42 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 47 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Dawn Atherton | Executive Director | 23.8% of Rev | ||
| Maria Raymond | Board President | 11.8% of Rev | ||
| Kerri Dornstadter | Board Member | 4.2% of Rev | ||
| Mackenzie Browning | Secretary | 1.9% of Rev | ||
| Debbie Nidiffer | Board Member | — | ||
| Jordan Ferrer | Board Member | — | ||
| Sandie Heckert | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris Rico | Board Member | — | ||
| Hector Gonzalez | Board Member | — | ||
| Kari Moustaf | Board Member | — | ||
| Shiloh Williams | Board President | — | ||
| Chad Jones | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Dawn Atherton | Board Member | 8.5% of Rev | ||
| Maria Raymond | Board President | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Dana Stevenson | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Dawn Atherton | Board Member | 9.0% of Rev | ||
| Maria Raymond | Board President | 3.0% of Rev | ||
| Dana Stevenson | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K Dawn Atherton | Board Member | 9.2% of Rev | ||
| Maria Raymond | Treasurer | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Debra Nidiffer | Board President | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 118 other orgs in AZ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 59 points above the peer median (90 vs. 31).
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.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 41.7% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 41.7% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~39 points.
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.