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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 24.2% | 42 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 25.2% | 44 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 15.1% | 48 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 18.3% | 46 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 17.8% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 24.9% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 12.3% | 43 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 16.1% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 38 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 44 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 8.2% | 46 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 5.1% | 50 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL JOHN GARCES | Artistic Director | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| MEGAN WANLASS | Board Member | 8.9% of Rev | ||
| MARK VALDEZ | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| CLEMENTINE BORDEAUX | Secretary | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| APRIL IBARRA | Board Member | — | ||
| LEANNA HALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH KENNEDY | Board Member | — | ||
| SARAH LANG | Treasurer | — | ||
| GENEVIEVE RIUTORT | Board President | — | ||
| TENA YATROUSSIS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL JOHN GARCES | Artistic Director | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| MEGAN WANLASS | Board Member | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| MARK VALDEZ | Board President | 1.0% of Rev | ||
| APRIL IBARRA | Board President | — | ||
| CLEMENTINE BORDEAUX | Secretary | — | ||
| LEANNA HALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH KENNEDY | Board Member | — | ||
| SARAH LANG | Board Member | — | ||
| GENEVIEVE RIUTORT | Board Member | — | ||
| TENA YATROUSSIS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL JOHN GARCS | Artistic Director | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| MEGAN WANLASS | Board Member | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| PAULA ELY | Board President | — | ||
| APRIL IBARRA | Board President | — | ||
| CLEMENTINE BORDEAUX | Secretary | — | ||
| MARK VALDEZ | Treasurer | — | ||
| ELLEN GAVIN | Board Member | — | ||
| LEANNA HALLMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH KENNEDY | Board Member | — | ||
| SARAH LANG | Board Member | — | ||
| GENEVIEVE RIUTORT | Board Member | — | ||
| TENA YATROUSSIS | 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 29 points above the peer median (60 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.
Overall score has gone from 30 → 42 over 5 years (improving by 12 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 24.2% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
What would change this score
The two changes that would most improve this score:
- Separate signing authority from fundraising authority when both are held by one person — removes the concentration penalty (~12 points).
- Reduce top-officer compensation from 24.2% to under 22% of revenue — would move governance score by ~5 points.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.