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 | — | — | 64.0% | 19 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 24.4% | 30 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 62.7% | 23 | Critical Intervention Needed | Recovery | |
| 2020 | — | — | 17.0% | 24 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.8% | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 29 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | — | 31 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | — | 45 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 47 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 45 | Financially Distressed | Recovery | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 41 | Financially Distressed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WENDY NORRIS | Executive Director | 22.9% of Rev | ||
| JESSICA MOREL | Board Member | 13.7% of Rev | ||
| ADRIENNE WALSH | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| DAVID DEFREESE | Board President | — | ||
| YANTO MULIADI | Treasurer | — | ||
| TERESA MARRIN NAKRA | Secretary | — | ||
| FRANCISCO CERVANTES | Board Member | — | ||
| SUNNY CHEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL DONAHUE | Board Member | — | ||
| DEENA GRAFFEO WEEKS | Board Member | — | ||
| CAREY HWANG | Board Member | — | ||
| RICH MCLAUGHLIN | Board Member | — | ||
| ULI SPETH | Board Member | — | ||
| ABDU SJAMSU | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WENDY NORRIS | Executive Director | 9.1% of Rev | ||
| SUNNY CHEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL DONAHUE | Board Member | — | ||
| CAREY HWANG | Board Member | — | ||
| ANDI SJAMSU | Board Member | — | ||
| ULI SPETH | Board Member | — | ||
| ADRIENNE WALSH | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID A DEFREESE | Board President | — | ||
| TERESA MARRIN NAKRA | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRANCES BLUM | Executive Director | 9.3% of Rev | ||
| ADRIENNE WALSH | Treasurer | — | ||
| ANDI SJAMSU | Board Member | — | ||
| CAREY HWANG | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID DEFREESE | Board President | — | ||
| MICHAEL DONAHUE | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD BILOTTI | Board President | — | ||
| ULI SPETH | Board Member | — | ||
| SUNNY CHEN | Board Member | — | ||
| TERESA NAKRA | Board Member | — | ||
| WENDY NORRIS | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 176 other orgs in NJ with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 29 points below the peer median (5 vs. 34).
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 29 → 19 over 5 years (declining by 10 points). A multi-year directional move of this magnitude is a signal worth investigating.
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 64.0% 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 64.0% 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.