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 | — | — | 38.5% | 9 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 314.2% | 13 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 149.8% | 21 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 15.6% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.5% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 5.6% | 42 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 5.1% | 42 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 2.8% | 40 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 6.6% | 37 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 2.6% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 2.4% | 38 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL LOWE | Artistic Director | 4.6% of Rev | ||
| CONNIE AHERN | Board President | — | ||
| LISA SHIVELEY | Executive Director | — | ||
| CHRISTINA JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| SARAH-JANE MEASOR | Board Member | — | ||
| MEG SLOAN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL LOWE | Artistic Director | 66.5% of Rev | ||
| CONNIE AHERN | Board President | — | ||
| LISA SHIVELEY | Executive Director | — | ||
| CHRISTINA JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| SARAH-JANE MEASOR | Board Member | — | ||
| MEG SLOAN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL LOWE | Artistic Director | 169.2% of Rev | ||
| SARAH-JANE MEASOR | Board Member | 38.5% of Rev | ||
| CONNIE AHERN | Board President | — | ||
| LISA SHIVELEY | Executive Director | — | ||
| CHRISTINA JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| LAURA MURAWCZYK | Board Member | — | ||
| MEG SLOAN | Board Member | — | ||
| NICOLE TAYLOR | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 829 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 33 points below the peer median (0 vs. 33).
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 38.5% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (healthy band: 18–22%).
- 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:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 38.5% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~33 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.