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 | — | — | 85.1% | 17 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2023 | — | — | — | 20 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 167.4% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 18.7% | 35 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | — | 37 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 2.4% | 52 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 41 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 47 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 39 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 43 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Windle | Artistic Director | 54.5% of Rev | ||
| Justin Berkowitz | Executive Director | 26.2% of Rev | ||
| Mark Haddad | Artistic Director | 2.8% of Rev | ||
| Alexandra Olsavsky | Artistic Director | 1.6% of Rev | ||
| Catherine Mascari | Board President | — | ||
| Richard Vincent Embser | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kimberlee Guetner | Board Member | — | ||
| Lauren Welke | Board Member | — | ||
| Adam Smith | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christopher Windle | Artistic Director | 43.6% of Rev | ||
| Justin Berkowitz | Executive Director | 30.5% of Rev | ||
| Megan Fletcher | Board Member | 1.7% of Rev | ||
| Kimberlee Guenther | Board President | — | ||
| Richard Vincent Embser | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kraig Salvensen | Board Member | — | ||
| Cate Mascari | Board Member | — | ||
| Lauren Welke | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathleen Pacyna | Executive Director | 8.7% of Rev | ||
| Richard Vincent Embser | Treasurer | — | ||
| Kimberlee Guenther | Board President | — | ||
| Geoff Pautsch | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 376 other orgs in IL with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 42 points below the peer median (15 vs. 57).
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 85.1% 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 85.1% 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.