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 | 25.7% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 27.6% | 33 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 26.5% | 39 | Governance-Stressed | Gov Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 31.4% | 27 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 19.2% | 32 | Critical Intervention Needed | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 14.3% | 34 | Critical Intervention Needed | Gov Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 32.0% | 38 | Fragile | Gov Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 3.3% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN MARTIN | Executive Director | 25.7% of Rev | ||
| DESMOND BLACK | Board President | — | ||
| EMILIE TEMELES | Board Member | — | ||
| JANET CHALKER | Treasurer | — | ||
| PERRI MASON | Secretary | — | ||
| JON HAYDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP BAKER | Board Member | — | ||
| DENNY HUFF | Board President | — | ||
| RYAN STEFFAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JAY WHITE | Board Member | — | ||
| NELSON SCHACHT | Board Member | — | ||
| BOBBIE DANIELS | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN MARTIN | Executive Director | 25.7% of Rev | ||
| DESMOND BLACK | Board President | — | ||
| REVELLE HAMILTON | Board Member | — | ||
| EMILIE TEMELES | Board Member | — | ||
| STACEY HAILEY | Board President | — | ||
| JANET CHALKER | Treasurer | — | ||
| TONI HENNEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| PERRI MASON | Secretary | — | ||
| NICOLE JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JON HAYDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP BAKER | Board Member | — | ||
| SHAYNA CREWS | Board Member | — | ||
| DENNY HUFF | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN MARTIN | Executive Director | 25.2% of Rev | ||
| DESMOND BLACK | Board President | — | ||
| REVELLE HAMILTON | Board Member | — | ||
| EMILIE TEMELES | Board Member | — | ||
| STACEY HAILEY | Board President | — | ||
| JANET CHALKER | Treasurer | — | ||
| TONI HENNEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| PERRI MASON | Board Member | — | ||
| NICOLE JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JON HAYDEN | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP BAKER | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSAN MARTIN | Executive Director | 24.2% of Rev | ||
| DESMOND BLACK | Board President | — | ||
| REVELLE HAMILTON | Board Member | — | ||
| EMILIE TEMELES | Board Member | — | ||
| STACEY HAILEY | Board President | — | ||
| JANET CHALKER | Treasurer | — |
Score breakdown
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 146 other orgs in VA with NTEE prefix A6.
Most-divergent component: program score sits 16 points above the peer median (45 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 25.7% is modestly above the sector's healthy band (18–22%) — worth monitoring.
- 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:
- 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.