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.
Institutional Epochs
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | — | — | 18.7% | 44 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 19.1% | 44 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 5.6% | 54 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 13.3% | 44 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.9% | 46 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 8.1% | 50 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.2% | 54 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 7.5% | 50 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 4.0% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 7.5% | 52 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2013 | — | — | 7.8% | 48 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | 5.1% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 5.0% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catherine Lou | Executive Director | 7.7% of Rev | ||
| Jennifer Ritvo Hughes | Executive Director | 6.9% of Rev | ||
| Claudio Pincus | Board President | — | ||
| Eta Somekh | Board President | — | ||
| James C Ackerman | Board President | — | ||
| Jane Stern Lebell | Board President | — | ||
| Richard S Ziman | Board President | — | ||
| Sara Fabrikant | Board President | — | ||
| Stacey Bronfman | Secretary | — | ||
| Abigail Tananbaum | Board Member | — | ||
| Abraham D Sofaer | Board Member | — | ||
| Benjamin Hildner | Board Member | — | ||
| Chaim Katzman | Board Member | — | ||
| David A Hirsch | Board Member | — | ||
| Emanuel Ax | Board Member | — | ||
| Hadar Shemtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Heidi Learner | Board Member | — | ||
| Helgard Field-Lion | Board Member | — | ||
| Irwin S Field | Board Member | — | ||
| Lynn Syms | Board Member | — | ||
| Mina Tulchinsky | Board Member | — | ||
| Myron S Glucksman | Board Member | — | ||
| Noemi Brief Zafrany | Board Member | — | ||
| Polly Levine | Board Member | — | ||
| Sharon Gabriel | Board Member | — | ||
| Stephen Gordon | Board Member | — | ||
| Theodore Mirvis | Board Member | — | ||
| Tricia Pantzer | Board Member | — | ||
| Yefim Bronfman | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Danielle Ames Spivak | Executive Director | 11.1% of Rev | ||
| Catherine Lou | Chief Financial Officer | 6.9% of Rev | ||
| Suzanne K Ponsot | Board Member | 5.7% of Rev | ||
| James Ackerman | Board President | — | ||
| Eta Somekh | Board President | — | ||
| Jane Stern Lebell | Board President | — | ||
| Marilyn Ziering | Board President | — | ||
| Claudio Pincus | Board President | — | ||
| Richard S Ziman | Board President | — | ||
| Sara Fabrikant | Board President | — | ||
| Joel R Fogel | Treasurer | — | ||
| Carol Schussler | Secretary | — | ||
| Abigail Tananbaum | Board Member | — | ||
| Abraham D Sofaer | Board Member | — | ||
| Arnon Adar | Board Member | — | ||
| Benjamin Hildner | Board Member | — | ||
| Chaim Katzman | Board Member | — | ||
| David A Hirsch | Board Member | — | ||
| Diane Belfer | Board Member | — | ||
| Emanuel Ax | Board Member | — | ||
| Hadar Shemtov | Board Member | — | ||
| Heidi Learner | Board Member | — | ||
| Helgard Field-Lion | Board Member | — | ||
| Irwin S Field | Board Member | — | ||
| Kfir Gavrieli | Board Member | — | ||
| Lisa Rudes Sandel | Board Member | — | ||
| Lynn Syms | Board Member | — | ||
| Mara Burros Sandler | Board Member | — | ||
| Martin Blank Jr | Board Member | — | ||
| Martin Selig | Board Member | — | ||
| Matti Leshem | Board Member | — | ||
| Myron Glucksman | Board Member | — | ||
| Nina Libeskind | Board Member | — | ||
| Noemi Brief Zafrany | Board Member | — | ||
| Polly Levine | Board Member | — | ||
| Sharon Gabriel | Board Member | — | ||
| Stacey Bronfman | Board Member | — | ||
| Stephen Gordon | Board Member | — | ||
| Theodore Mirvis | Board Member | — | ||
| Tricia Pantzer | Board Member | — | ||
| Yefim Bronfman | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DANIELLE AMES SPIVAK | Executive Director | 7.9% of Rev | ||
| CATHERINE LOU | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 6.0% of Rev | ||
| IRWIN S FIELD | Board President | — | ||
| HELGARD FIELD-LION | Board President | — | ||
| SARA FABRIKANT | Board President | — | ||
| JANE STERN LEBELL | Board President | — | ||
| CLAUDIO PINCUS | Board President | — | ||
| ETA SOMEKH | Board President | — | ||
| MARILYN ZIERING | Board President | — | ||
| RICHARD ZIMAN | Board President | — | ||
| CAROL SCHUSSLER | Secretary | — | ||
| JOEL R FOGEL | Treasurer | — | ||
| JAMES ACKERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ARNON ADAR | Board Member | — | ||
| EMANUAL AX | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE BELFER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARTIN BLANK JR | Board Member | — | ||
| STACEY BRONFMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| FELICE CUTLER | Board Member | — | ||
| KFIR GAVRIELI | Board Member | — | ||
| MYRON GLUCKSMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| RUTH GOLD | Board Member | — | ||
| HOWARD GOTTLIEB | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID A HIRSCH | Board Member | — | ||
| CHAIM KATZMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| STEVEN KOFSKY | Board Member | — | ||
| HEIDI LEARNER | Board Member | — | ||
| MATTI LESHEM | Board Member | — | ||
| POLLY LEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| NINA LIBESKIND | Board Member | — | ||
| THEODORE MIRVIS | Board Member | — | ||
| TRICIA PANTZER | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA RUDES SANDEL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARTIN SELIG | Board Member | — | ||
| HADAR SHEMTOV | Board Member | — | ||
| LYNN SYMS | Board Member | — | ||
| ELAINE WOLFENSOHN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 34 other orgs in NY with NTEE prefix A1.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 31 points above the peer median (60 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 18.7% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
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).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.