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 | — | — | 54.6% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | 34.7% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 49.6% | 36 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 46.3% | 38 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 49.4% | 48 | Governance-Stressed | Recovery | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 41 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Dalby | Executive Director | 27.3% of Rev | ||
| Meena Bhasin | Executive Director | 27.3% of Rev | ||
| Charlotte Burchard | Board President | — | ||
| Ray Walton | Board President | — | ||
| Emi Uyehara | Secretary | — | ||
| Neil Sekhri | Treasurer | — | ||
| Ilya Levtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Harris | Board Member | — | ||
| Gayle Tsern Strang | Board Member | — | ||
| Jackie Holen | Board Member | — | ||
| Todd Hosfelt | Board Member | — | ||
| Andrea Higgins | Board Member | — | ||
| Steve Suda | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Dalby | Artistic Director | 18.4% of Rev | ||
| Meena Bhasin | Artistic Director | 18.4% of Rev | ||
| Owen Dalby | Artistic Director | 16.0% of Rev | ||
| Meena Bhasin | Artistic Director | 15.7% of Rev | ||
| Ray Walton | Board President | — | ||
| Charlotte Burchard | Board President | — | ||
| Ilya Levtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Neil Sekhri | Treasurer | — | ||
| Emi Uyehara | Secretary | — | ||
| Carol Harris | Board Member | — | ||
| Ray Walton | Board President | — | ||
| Charlotte Burchard | Board President | — | ||
| Ilya Levtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Neil Sekhri | Treasurer | — | ||
| Emi Uyehara | Secretary | — | ||
| Carol Harris | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Dalby | Artistic Director | 13.6% of Rev | ||
| Meena Bhasin | Artistic Director | 13.4% of Rev | ||
| Ray Walton | Board President | — | ||
| Charles McCullough | Board Member | — | ||
| Charlotte Burchard | Board Member | — | ||
| Ilya Levtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Neil Sekhri | Board Member | — | ||
| Lisa Baird | Board Member | — | ||
| Faye Chao Sofaer | Board Member | — | ||
| Carol Harris | 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: program score sits 14 points above the peer median (45 vs. 31).
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 54.6% is well above the sector's 90th percentile (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 54.6% 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.