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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | 30.2% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 21 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2022 | — | — | 26.5% | 40 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 24.3% | 39 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2026
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anya Clarke | Artistic Director | 15.1% of Rev | ||
| Mitsuko Verdery | Artistic Director | 15.1% of Rev | ||
| Niya Nicholson | Board President | — | ||
| Rie Schmidt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Michelle Mantia | Secretary | — | ||
| Amber Ohiokpehai | Board Member | — | ||
| Wendy Shafer | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anya Clarke | Artistic Director | 29.7% of Rev | ||
| Mitsuko Verdery | Artistic Director | 19.6% of Rev | ||
| Niya Nicholson | Board President | — | ||
| Rie Schmidt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Michelle Mantia | Secretary | — | ||
| Amber Ohiokpehai | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anya Clarke | Artistic Director | 12.5% of Rev | ||
| Mitsuko Verdery | Artistic Director | 12.5% of Rev | ||
| Niya Nicholson | Board Member | — | ||
| Natalie Marrero | Board President | — | ||
| Rie Schmidt | Treasurer | — | ||
| Michelle Mantia | Secretary | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 699 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 24 points below the peer median (5 vs. 29).
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 30.2% is above the 90th percentile for orgs of this size (healthy band: 18–22%).
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 30.2% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~16 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.