Compensation Escalation Cycle
Compensation Escalation Cycle
Market
Archetype
Mechanical
Natural
Tier
Priority Review
Trajectory Thumbprint
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.
The Steward
Institutional Health Scores
5-yr trend: Compensation Escalation Cycle ↑
Overall
39
Score
Governance
45
Score
Financial
30
Score
Program
45
Score
Title
-
Institutions
-
Avg Revenue
-
Risk Profile
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Financial Era
Governance Era
Trajectory Era
Compensation Escalation
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 23.7% | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 14.2% | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 32.7% | 46 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 19.5% | 43 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 16.4% | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 24.3% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 24.8% | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 27.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 23.8% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 27.5% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 39.0% | 28 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 35.2% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erin Freeman | Artistic Director | 23.7% of Rev | ||
| David Flaxman | Board President | — | ||
| Ed Grossman | Board Member | — | ||
| David Robinson | Secretary | — | ||
| L Robert Barnes | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Schumacher | Board Member | — | ||
| Ann Roddy | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris Thorne | Board Member | — | ||
| Charles Clark | Board Member | — | ||
| Dan Hindeliter | Board Member | — | ||
| Jessica Robbins | Board Member | — | ||
| Rachel Tester | Board Member | — | ||
| Lejarian Williams | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erin Freeman | Artistic Director | 23.7% of Rev | ||
| David Flaxman | Board President | — | ||
| Ed Grossman | Board Member | — | ||
| Margaret Hemingway | Board Member | — | ||
| David Robinson | Secretary | — | ||
| Dan Hinderliter | Board Member | — | ||
| L Robert Barnes | Board Member | — | ||
| Susan Schumacher | Board Member | — | ||
| Nola Tolsma | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Lynne Price | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Jenkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Patricia Yee | Board Member | — | ||
| Meaghan Heselden | Board Member | — | ||
| Emily Tsai | Board President | — | ||
| Jessica Robbins | Board Member | — | ||
| Ann Roddy | Board Member | — | ||
| Chris Thorne | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Shafer | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| Doug Fisher | Treasurer | — | ||
| David Flaxman | Board President | — | ||
| Barbara Greene | Board Member | — | ||
| Margaret Hemingway | Board Member | — | ||
| David Robinson | Secretary | — | ||
| Susan Schumacher | Board Member | — | ||
| Thelma Leenhouts | Board Member | — | ||
| Benjamin Tsai | Board President | — | ||
| Gail Crane | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Lynne Price | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Jenkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Rachael Tester | Board Member | — | ||
| Patricia Yee | Board Member | — | ||
| Meaghan Heselden | Board Member | — | ||
| Emily Tsai | Board Member | — | ||
| Nola Tolsma | Board Member | — | ||
| Cita Furlani | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Shafer | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| Cita Furlani | Treasurer | — | ||
| Judith James | Board President | — | ||
| Barbara Greene | Board President | — | ||
| Margaret Hemingway | General Manager | — | ||
| David Robinson | Secretary | — | ||
| Susan Schumacher | Board Member | — | ||
| Thelma Leenhouts | Board Member | — | ||
| Benjamin Tsai | Board President | — | ||
| Gail Crane | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Lynne Price | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Jenkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Rachael Tester | Board Member | — | ||
| Patricia Yee | Board Member | — | ||
| Meaghan Heselden | Board Member | — | ||
| Emily Tsai | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Shafer | Artistic Director | 20.7% of Rev | ||
| David Boomsma | Treasurer | — | ||
| Judith James | Board President | — | ||
| Barbara Greene | Board President | — | ||
| Margaret Hemingway | General Manager | — | ||
| David Robinson | Secretary | — | ||
| Susan Schumacher | Board Member | — | ||
| Thelma Leenhouts | Board Member | — | ||
| Benjamin Tsai | Board President | — | ||
| Gail Crane | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Lynne Price | Board Member | — | ||
| Jeff Jenkins | Board Member | — | ||
| Beth Gawne | Board Member | — | ||
| Rachael Tester | Board Member | — | ||
| Pat Yee | Board Member | — |
Officer contact details, exact compensation figures, and active litigation are available to verified members.
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Score breakdown
Score breakdown
Financial resilience
30 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
45 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
45 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
39 / 100
Priority Review
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 106 other orgs in DC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 22 points below the peer median (45 vs. 67).
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 23.7% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- Financial resilience score in the bottom quartile — reserves and liabilities ratios warrant review.
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).
- Build cash reserves to at least 3 months of operating expenses — moves financial resilience score meaningfully (~10 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.