The Founder's Trap
The Founder's Trap
Market
Archetype
Mechanical
Natural
Tier
Developing
Trajectory Thumbprint
The Founder's Trap
What does this mean?
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
The Path Forward
The Dispersal
Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.
The Dispersal
Institutional Health Scores
5-yr trend: The Founder's Trap ↑
Overall
45
Score
Governance
58
Score
Financial
25
Score
Program
60
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
Founders Trap
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 2.0% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 1.0% | 45 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 2.8% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 5.2% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 0.6% | 45 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | 0.8% | 41 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 0.8% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | 0.6% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | 0.7% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 0.7% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 0.8% | 45 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 0.7% | 45 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 42 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD K MARSHALL | Executive Director | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| SARITA M CARRIERE | Treasurer | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| JONATHAN SOLARI | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JARROD REMETICH | ACCOUNTANT | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| LAKIA ROBINSON | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| RACHEL LYONS | ARCHIVIST | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| SHANNA HUDSON-STOWE | DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATE | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| BRITTANY MAJOR | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| JULIE WISE ORECK | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| SKIPPER BOND | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| COURTNEY KATZENSTEIN | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| CANDICE BATES ANDERSON | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| KAREN SOLOMON | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| CECIL J BLACHE | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| SIDNEY CATES | Board President | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| DAVID TORKANOWSKY | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| RACHEL F COUSIN | Board President | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| JR PEGUES | Treasurer | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| CARYN RODGERS-BATTISTE | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| VIRGINIA MILLER | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| ELLEN M LEE | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| DAVID A KERSTEIN | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| DEBORAH HARKINS | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| RONALD P MCCLAIN | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| HOWARD RODGERS III | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| JAY BANKS | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| GERALD BILLES | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| KATY ROUBION | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| RICHARD CORTIZAS | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| TARA HERNANDEZ | Board President | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| MONIQUE MORIAL | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev | ||
| LEONARD SMITH III | Board Member | 0.0% of Rev |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD K MARSHALL | Executive Director | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| SARITA M CARRIERE | Treasurer | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| BARBARA LACEN KELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| BRITTANY MAJOR | Board Member | — | ||
| CANDACE BATES ANDERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| CARYN RODGERS-BATTISTE | Board Member | — | ||
| CECIL CJ BLANCHE | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID A KERSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID TORKANOWSKY | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH HARKINS | Board Member | — | ||
| ELLEN M LEE | Board Member | — | ||
| GERALD BILLES | Board Member | — | ||
| HOWARD L RODGERS III | Board Member | — | ||
| JAY BANKS | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE WISE ORECK | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SOLOMON | Board Member | — | ||
| KATY ROUBION | Board Member | — | ||
| LEONARD SMITH III | Board Member | — | ||
| PARKER ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD F CORTIZAS | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD P MCCLAIN | Board Member | — | ||
| SKIPPER BOND | Board Member | — | ||
| VIRGINIA MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFF GOLDRING | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID FRANCIS | Board President | — | ||
| TARA CARTER HERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| RACHEL F COUSIN | Board President | — | ||
| JR PEGUES | Treasurer | — | ||
| JUDGE SIDNEY H CATES IV | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD K MARSHALL | Executive Director | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| SARITA M CARRIERE | Treasurer | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| CANDACE BATES ANDERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JAY BANKS | Board Member | — | ||
| GERALD BILLES | Board Member | — | ||
| CECIL CJ BLANCHE | Board Member | — | ||
| SKIPPER BOND | Board Member | — | ||
| MICKEY CAPLINGER | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD F CORTIZAS | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH HARKINS | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID A KERSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA LACEN KELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| ELLEN M LEE | Board Member | — | ||
| BRITTANY MAJOR | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD P MCCLAIN | Board Member | — | ||
| VIRGINIA MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE WISE ORECK | Board Member | — | ||
| JR PEGUES | Board Member | — | ||
| PARKER ROBINSON | Board Member | — | ||
| HOWARD L RODGERS III | Board Member | — | ||
| KATY ROUBION | Board Member | — | ||
| LEONARD SMITH III | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SOLOMON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID TORKANOWSKY | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFF GOLDRING | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID FRANCIS | Board President | — | ||
| TARA CARTER HERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| RACHEL F COUSIN | Secretary | — | ||
| JUDGE SIDNEY H CATES IV | Treasurer | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD K MARSHALL | Executive Director | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| SARITA M CARRIERE | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| CANDACE BATES ANDERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JAY BANKS | Board Member | — | ||
| GERALD BILLES | Board Member | — | ||
| CECIL CJ BLANCHE | Board Member | — | ||
| SKIPPER BOND | Board Member | — | ||
| MICKEY CAPLINGER | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD F CORTIZAS | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUGLAS HAMMEL | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH HARKINS | Board Member | — | ||
| CLIFFORD V JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID A KERSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA LACEN KELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| ELLEN M LEE | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD P MCCLAIN | Board Member | — | ||
| VIRGINIA MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE WISE ORECK | Board Member | — | ||
| JR PEGUES | Board Member | — | ||
| HOWARD L RODGERS III | Board Member | — | ||
| KATY ROUBION | Board Member | — | ||
| LEONARD SMITH III | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SOLOMON | Board Member | — | ||
| PARKER STERNBERGH | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID TORKANOWSKY | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHLEEN TURNER | Board President | — | ||
| JEFF GOLDRING | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID FRANCIS | Board President | — | ||
| TARA CARTER HERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| RACHEL F COUSIN | Secretary | — | ||
| JUDGE SIDNEY H CATES IV | Treasurer | — |
Officer contact details, exact compensation figures, and active litigation are available to verified members.
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Score breakdown
Score breakdown
Financial resilience
25 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
58 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
60 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
45 / 100
Developing
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 49 other orgs in LA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 28 points above the peer median (60 vs. 32).
5-year trend: The Founder's Trap
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 2.0% sits within the sector's 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:
- 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.