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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hidden | Hidden | — | — | Unknown | — | |
| 2023 | Hidden | Hidden | 20.6% | 41 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 26.9% | 38 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 10.6% | 47 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 10.8% | 47 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | — | 49 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.7% | 46 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 7.9% | 45 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 3.0% | 53 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2014 | — | — | 4.8% | 51 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | — | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2012 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | — | 35 | Critical Intervention Needed | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Susan Marie Rhea | Board Member | 7.8% of Rev | ||
| Alexis Hartwick | Executive Director | 6.9% of Rev | ||
| Mark A Rhea | Artistic Director | 5.9% of Rev | ||
| Robert Cali | Treasurer | — | ||
| Abigail Isaac Fine | Board Member | — | ||
| Abby Levine | Board President | — | ||
| Megan Doiron | Board Member | — | ||
| Roberta Milman | Secretary | — | ||
| Vishwas Vishwas | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN MARIE RHEA | Artistic Director | 7.4% of Rev | ||
| MARK A RHEA | FOUNDING DIR | 6.8% of Rev | ||
| ALEXIS HARTWICK | Executive Director | 6.0% of Rev | ||
| ROBERT CALI | Board Member | — | ||
| ABIGAIL ISAAC FINE | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER HALL | Treasurer | — | ||
| GAIL HANSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| TODD K JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD KELLOGG | Board Member | — | ||
| ABBY LEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN MACHNIK | EXECUTIVE CH | — | ||
| ROBERTA MILMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DANA NEARING | Board Member | — | ||
| VISHWAS VISHWAS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARK A RHEA | PRODUCING AR | 5.2% of Rev | ||
| SUSAN MARIE RHEA | Artistic Director | 4.9% of Rev | ||
| TODD K JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD KELLOGG | Board Member | — | ||
| ABBY LEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN MACHNIK | Board Member | — | ||
| RYAN VELANDRIA MCCARTHY | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERTA MILMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| VISHWAS | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT CALI | Board Member | — | ||
| WHITNEY DONALDSON | Board President | — | ||
| RODDY FLYNN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| GAIL HANSEN | Board Member | — | ||
| TODD K JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD KELLOGG | Board Member | — | ||
| ABBY LEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| MEGAN MACHNIK | Board Member | — | ||
| RYAN VELANDRIA MCCARTHY | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERTA MILMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DANA NEARING | Board Member | — | ||
| MARK A RHEA | PRODUCING AR | — | ||
| SUSAN MARIE RHEA | Artistic Director | — | ||
| VISHWAS | Board Member | — | ||
| BOB CALI | Board Member | — | ||
| WHITNEY DONALDSON | Board President | — | ||
| RODDY FLYNN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| GAIL HANSEN | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 55 other orgs in DC with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 18 points above the peer median (60 vs. 42).
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 20.6% 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).
- Build cash reserves to at least 3 months of operating expenses — moves financial resilience score meaningfully (~10 points).
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.