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 | Hidden | Hidden | 29.1% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 39.7% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 30.1% | 50 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | 23.1% | 37 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 57 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 61 | Stable | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEW FERNANDEZ | Executive Dir. | 29.1% of Rev | ||
| KATHY J FERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| LUCY CONNER | Board Member | — | ||
| CRISTY WILLER | Secretary | — | ||
| STEPHANIE SMOOT | Board Member | — | ||
| SHAYLYN GOARD | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BENSON | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN SAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUGLAS CAUSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| KALB STEVENSON | Treasurer | — | ||
| JANA LAGE | Board Member | — | ||
| JEROMEE MYERS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEW FERNANDEZ | Executive Dir. | 24.9% of Rev | ||
| MATTHEW FERNANDEZ | Executive Dir. | 22.8% of Rev | ||
| KATHY J FERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| MIKE ZOSKE | Board President | — | ||
| CRISTY WILLER | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID FRITZ | Treasurer | — | ||
| LUCY CONNER | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BENSON | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN SAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUGLAS CAUSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| JANA LAGE | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD REICHMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHY J FERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| MIKE ZOSKE | Board President | — | ||
| CRISTY WILLER | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID FRITZ | Treasurer | — | ||
| RACHAEL MIDDLETON | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BENSON | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN SAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUGLAS CAUSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| TODD SHERWOOD | Board Member | — | ||
| JANA LAGE | Board Member | — | ||
| JOEL NEIMEYER | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD REICHMAN | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MATTHEW FERNANDEZ | Executive Dir. | 19.1% of Rev | ||
| KATHY J FERNANDEZ | Board President | — | ||
| MIKE ZOSKE | Board President | — | ||
| CRISTY WILLER | Secretary | — | ||
| DAVID FRITZ | Treasurer | — | ||
| RACHAEL MIDDLETON | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA BENSON | Board Member | — | ||
| BRIAN SAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| DOUGLAS CAUSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| TODD SHERWOOD | Board Member | — | ||
| JANA LAGE | Board Member | — | ||
| JOEL NEIMEYER | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD REICHMAN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 29 other orgs in AK with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 35 points below the peer median (0 vs. 35).
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 29.1% 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:
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 29.1% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~14 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.