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 | — | — | 44.5% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 33.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 38.4% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 34.7% | 42 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 39.0% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 43.1% | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 37.8% | 38 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 37.6% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERI GONZALES | Board Member | 39.4% of Rev | ||
| ASHLEE MAYO | Board President | — | ||
| LIZ FRAZIER | Secretary | — | ||
| SUSAN ANDREWS | Treasurer | — | ||
| NINA WILLIAMS | Board Member | — | ||
| MAX KIDWELL | Board President | — | ||
| CARRIE CAMERON | Board Member | — | ||
| DOMINICK MCWHIRT | Board Member | — | ||
| TERRY QUIETT | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERI GONZALES | Board Member | 39.4% of Rev | ||
| ASHLEE MAYO | Board President | — | ||
| LIZ FRAZIER | Secretary | — | ||
| SUSAN ANDREWS | Treasurer | — | ||
| NINA WILLIAMS | Board Member | — | ||
| MAX KIDWELL | Board Member | — | ||
| CARRIE CAMERON | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN BEESON | Board President | — | ||
| TERRY QUIETT | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHERI GONZALES | Board Member | 39.4% of Rev | ||
| ANN EDWARDS | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN BEESON | Secretary | — | ||
| CATHY BOWMAN | Treasurer | — | ||
| MARIE GREGG | Executive Director | — | ||
| LINDA HARVEY | Board Member | — | ||
| TERRY QUIETT | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 60 other orgs in KS with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 17 points below the peer median (15 vs. 32).
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 27 → 32 over 5 years (improving by 5 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 44.5% 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 44.5% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~40 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.