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 | Hidden | Hidden | 15.3% | 45 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 9.9% | 50 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2021 | — | — | 10.5% | 48 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 5.5% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2019 | — | — | 8.9% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 3.0% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2017 | — | — | 7.4% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 5.2% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2015 | — | — | 5.7% | 50 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2014 | — | — | 8.0% | 54 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2013 | — | — | 10.5% | 52 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2012 | — | — | 12.6% | 48 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2011 | — | — | 9.5% | 54 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH JESSE | Executive Director | 9.8% of Rev | ||
| JENNIFER CHRZANOWSKI | Executive Director | 3.4% of Rev | ||
| WILLIAM LECATES | Treasurer | 2.2% of Rev | ||
| DONNA ALPI | Board President | — | ||
| CHRISTINE MARTIN | Board President | — | ||
| MARYLOU ARMSTRONG PETERS | Board Member | — | ||
| CHUCK MANGOLD JR | Secretary | — | ||
| JIM HARRIS | Treasurer | — | ||
| BRENDA FIKE | Board Member | — | ||
| SUE BREDEKAMP | Board Member | — | ||
| SHELTON HAWKINS | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH HORMEL | Board Member | — | ||
| SANDY CARDIN | Board Member | — | ||
| RONALD FLOHR | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT FOGARTY | Board Member | — | ||
| JAZMINE GIBSON | Board Member | — | ||
| DENISE GRANT | Board Member | — | ||
| VICTORIA GOMEZ LOZANO | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER SADLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JOANNE LUKENS | Board Member | — | ||
| ANN SCULLY | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SHOOK | Board Member | — | ||
| BETH SPURRY | Board Member | — | ||
| HOLLY TOWNSEND | Board Member | — | ||
| DANIEL WEISS | Board Member | — | ||
| J CHRISTOPHER WALSH | Board Member | — | ||
| DONALD WOOTERS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SARAH JESSE | Executive Dir. | 5.2% of Rev | ||
| WILLIAM LECATES | Treasurer | 2.0% of Rev | ||
| DONNA ALPI | Board President | — | ||
| JIM HARRIS | Treasurer | — | ||
| COURTNEY CLARK PASTRICK | Board Member | — | ||
| MARYLOU ARMSTRONG PETERS | Board Member | — | ||
| ANTONIO MCAFEE | Board Member | — | ||
| PETER GALLAGHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIA MADDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA LANE | Board Member | — | ||
| ANN SCULLY | Board Member | — | ||
| KENTAVIUS JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| BETH SPURRY | Board Member | — | ||
| JILL MEYERHOFF | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTINE MARTIN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHUCK MANGOLD JR | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH UNDERHILL | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SHOOK | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH HORMEL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY ANN SCHINDLER | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY TRIPPE | Chairman | — | ||
| CRAIG FULLER | Board President | — | ||
| JEFFREY HUVELLE | Secretary | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEN SIMONS | Executive Dir. | 8.3% of Rev | ||
| DONNA ALPI | Board President | — | ||
| JIM HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY CLARK PASTRICK | Board Member | — | ||
| MARYLOU ARMSTRONG PETERS | Board Member | — | ||
| ANTONIO MCAFEE | Board Member | — | ||
| PETER GALLAGHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIA MADDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MAXINE FARRELL | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA HUNTER | Board Member | — | ||
| KENTAVIUS JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET KELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JILL MEYERHOFF | Board Member | — | ||
| CATHERINE COLLINS MCCOY | Chairman | — | ||
| CHRISTINE MARTIN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHUCK MANGOLD JR | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY PARKER | Board Member | — | ||
| ELIZABETH UNDERHILL | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN SHOOK | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN PINNEY | Treasurer | — | ||
| ELIZABETH HORMEL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY ANN SCHINDLER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN WEINER | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY TRIPPE | Board Member | — | ||
| PATRICIA MALIN | Board Member | — | ||
| HANNA WOICKE | Board Member | — | ||
| CRAIG FULLER | Board President | — | ||
| JEFFREY HUVELLE | Secretary | — | ||
| SARAH JESSE | Executive Dir. | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEN SIMONS | Executive Dir. | 7.8% of Rev | ||
| KAREN SHOOK | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN PINNEY | Treasurer | — | ||
| NANCY POWELL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY ANN SCHINDLER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARILYN WEINER | Board Member | — | ||
| NANCY TRIPPE | Board Member | — | ||
| PATRICIA MALIN | Board Member | — | ||
| HANNA WOICKE | Board Member | — | ||
| CRAIG FULLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY HUVELLE | Secretary | — | ||
| DONNA ALPI | Board Member | — | ||
| JIM HARRIS | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY CLARK PASTRICK | Board Member | — | ||
| JOCELYN EYSYMONTT | Board President | — | ||
| HOLLY FINE | Board Member | — | ||
| PETER GALLAGHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIA MADDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| MAXINE FARRELL | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA HUNTER | Board Member | — | ||
| KENTAVIUS JONES | Board Member | — | ||
| MARGARET KELLER | Board Member | — | ||
| JILL MEYERHOFF | Board Member | — | ||
| CATHERINE COLLINS MCCOY | Chairman | — | ||
| CHUCK MANGOLD JR | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY PARKER | Board Member | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 12 other orgs in MD with NTEE prefix A2.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 34 points above the peer median (60 vs. 26).
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 15.3% 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.