The Founder's Trap
The Founder's Trap
Market
Archetype
Mechanical
Natural
Tier
Developing
Trajectory Thumbprint
The Founder's Trap
What does this mean?
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
The Path Forward
The Dispersal
Forces succession planning and structural maturity. It requires raising capacity-building funds to decouple the organization's survival from the founder's personal sacrifice.
The Dispersal
Institutional Health Scores
5-yr trend: The Founder's Trap ↑
Overall
51
Score
Governance
58
Score
Financial
40
Score
Program
60
Score
Title
-
Institutions
-
Avg Revenue
-
Risk Profile
Representative Institutions
Institutional Epochs
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Financial Era
Governance Era
Trajectory Era
Founders Trap
Historical Performance
| Year | Revenue | Top Comp | Comp % Rev | Score | Phase Label | Outlook | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | — | — | 2.7% | 51 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2022 | — | — | 2.4% | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2021 | — | — | 3.1% | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2020 | — | — | 5.7% | 50 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 3.0% | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2018 | — | — | 3.0% | 51 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2017 | — | — | 3.4% | 51 | Financially Distressed | Decline Risk | |
| 2016 | — | — | 2.2% | 55 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 2.7% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 2.0% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 0.8% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 1.0% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 4.3% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEAL BENEZRA | Board Member | 1.7% of Rev | ||
| JANET BISHOP | Artistic Director | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| NOAH G BARTLETT | INTERIM CHIEF ADMIN OFFICER | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| SAMANTHA LEO | CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| DAVIDA LINDSAY-BELL | CHIEF PEOPLE & INCLUSION OFFICER | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| ADINE VARAH | GENERAL COUNSEL | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| TSUGUMI MAKI | CHIEF EXHIBITIONS & COLLECTIONS OFFICER | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| REBECCA MALKIN CHOCRON | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| LIONEL CONACHER | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| THOMAS W WEISEL | Board Member | — | ||
| TYSON CLARK | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT J FISHER | Board President | — | ||
| DIANA NELSON | Board President | — | ||
| CHARLES M COLLINS | Board President | — | ||
| MIMI HAAS | Board President | — | ||
| MARYELLEN C HERRINGER | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID MAHONEY | Treasurer | — | ||
| ALKA AGRAWAL | Board Member | — | ||
| TY AHMAD-TAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| JOACHIM BECHTLE | Board Member | — | ||
| YVES BEHAR | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES W BREYER | Board Member | — | ||
| IVETTE CALDERA ESSERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DOLLY CHAMMAS | Board Member | — | ||
| ROSELYNE CHROMAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| WAYEE CHU | Board Member | — | ||
| ADAM H CLAMMER | Board Member | — | ||
| LINNEA CONRAD ROBERTS | Board Member | — | ||
| PENNY COULTER | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERTA DENNING | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN DOUGLAS | Board Member | — | ||
| HARRY J JR ELAM | Board Member | — | ||
| MJ ELMORE | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT L EMERY | Board Member | — | ||
| IRWIN FEDERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| BILL FISHER | Board Member | — | ||
| JONATHAN GANS | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHRYN A HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| LUIS HERRERA | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID HUFFMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ADRIANE IANN | Board Member | — | ||
| BRADLEY JAMES | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN PB JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA JOYNER | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD M KOVACEVICH | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA KRAMLICH | Board Member | — | ||
| JANET W LAMKIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DERYCK MAUGHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| NION MCEVOY | Board Member | — | ||
| KENNETH P MCNEELY | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER MEANY | Board Member | — | ||
| WES MITCHELL | Board Member | — | ||
| TUCKER NICHOLS | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH NOVACK | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE PAIGE | Board Member | — | ||
| GINA PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S PRITZKER | Board Member | — | ||
| BECCA PROWDA | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE RODAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARA SCHREYER | Board Member | — | ||
| KOMAL SHAH | Board Member | — | ||
| LYDIA SHORENSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY STEELE | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA T VERMUT | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN WALECKA | Board Member | — | ||
| CARRIE MAE WEEMS | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLIE WILMANS | Board Member | — | ||
| PAT WILSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBIN M WRIGHT | Board Member | — | ||
| SONYA YU | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE COLENDICH | Board Member | — | ||
| CANDACE HUEY | Board Member | — | ||
| VIVIENNE LIEBOWICH | Board Member | — | ||
| DRAGANA MONSON | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIA STEWART | Board Member | — | ||
| DORIS FISHER | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERALD GARRELS | Artistic Director | 1.2% of Rev | ||
| NEAL BENEZRA | Board Member | 1.0% of Rev | ||
| NANCY KEETON | Board Member | 1.0% of Rev | ||
| JANET BISHOP | Artistic Director | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| SAMANTHA LEO | CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFF | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| CHAD COERVER | CHIEF ED. & CE | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| ADINE VARAH | GENERAL COUNSEL | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| DAVIDA LINDSAY-BELL | CHIEF PEOPLE & INCLUSION | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| REBECCA MALKIN CHOCRON | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| ROBERT J FISHER | Board President | — | ||
| DIANA NELSON | Board President | — | ||
| MIMI L HAAS | Board President | — | ||
| CHARLES M COLLINS | Board President | — | ||
| MARYELLEN C HERRINGER | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID MAHONEY | Treasurer | — | ||
| ALKA AGRAWAL | Board Member | — | ||
| JOACHIM BECHTLE | Board Member | — | ||
| YVES BEHAR | Board Member | — | ||
| TY AHMAD-TAYLOR | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES W BREYER | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROLYN BUTCHER | Board Member | — | ||
| ROSANA CASTRILLO DIAZ | Board Member | — | ||
| DOLLY CHAMMAS | Board Member | — | ||
| WAYEE CHU | Board Member | — | ||
| ADAM H CLAMMER | Board Member | — | ||
| LIONEL CONACHER | Board Member | — | ||
| PENNY COULTER | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERTA DENNING | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN DOUGLAS | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT L EMERY | Board Member | — | ||
| TYSON CLARK | Board Member | — | ||
| IRWIN FEDERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DORIS FISHER | Board Member | — | ||
| HARRY J ELAM JR | Board Member | — | ||
| JONATHAN GANS | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES R SCHWAB | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA JOYNER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHRYN A HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| LUIS HERRERA | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY STEELE | Board Member | — | ||
| ADRIANE IANN | Board Member | — | ||
| BRADLEY JAMES | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN PB JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD M KOVACEVICH | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA KRAMLICH | Board Member | — | ||
| JANET W LAMKIN | Board Member | — | ||
| DENNIS J WONG | Board Member | — | ||
| NION MCEVOY | Board Member | — | ||
| KENNETH P MCNEELY | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER MEANY | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE MEHRETU | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| WES MITCHELL | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH NOVACK | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE PAIGE | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S PRITZKER | Board Member | — | ||
| BECCA PROWDA | Board Member | — | ||
| LINNEA CONRAD ROBERTS | Board Member | — | ||
| KOMAL SHAH | Board Member | — | ||
| LYDIA SHORENSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| SONYA YU | Board Member | — | ||
| ROSELYNE CHROMAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA T VERMUT | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN WALECKA | Board Member | — | ||
| THOMAS W WEISEL | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLIE WILMANS | Board Member | — | ||
| PAT WILSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBIN M WRIGHT | Board Member | — | ||
| GINA PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| IVETTE CALDERA ESSERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| HUNG LIU | Board Member | — | ||
| DERYCK MAUGHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE COLENDICH | Board Member | — | ||
| JENNIFER BENHAM | Board Member | — | ||
| VIVIENNE LEIBOWICH | Board Member | — | ||
| DRAGANA MONSON | Board Member | — | ||
| CYNTHIA KAGAY | Board Member | — | ||
| CYNTHIA LOUKIDES | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEAL BENEZRA | Board Member | 1.6% of Rev | ||
| JANET ALBERTI | Board Member | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| NANCY KEETON | Board Member | 0.6% of Rev | ||
| GERALD GARRELS | Artistic Director | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| CLEMENT CHEROUX | Artistic Director | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| SAMANTHA LEO | Board Member | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| JANET BISHOP | Artistic Director | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| ADINE VARAH | GENERAL COUNSEL | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| CHAD COERVER | CHIEF ED. & CE | 0.4% of Rev | ||
| RUTH BERSON | Board Member | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| REBECCA MALKIN CHOCRON | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| GAY-LYNN BLANDING | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES W BREYER | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROLYN BUTCHER | Board Member | — | ||
| ROSANA CASTRILLO DIAZ | Board Member | — | ||
| DOLLY CHAMMAS | Board Member | — | ||
| WAYEE CHU | Board Member | — | ||
| ADAM H CLAMMER | Board Member | — | ||
| LIONEL CONACHER | Board Member | — | ||
| PENNY COULTER | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERTA DENNING | Board Member | — | ||
| JEAN DOUGLAS | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT L EMERY | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLA EMIL | Board Member | — | ||
| IRWIN FEDERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DORIS FISHER | Board Member | — | ||
| HARRY J ELAM JR | Board Member | — | ||
| JONATHAN GANS | Board Member | — | ||
| M ARTHUR GENSLER JR | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA JOYNER | Board Member | — | ||
| KATHRYN A HALL | Board Member | — | ||
| LUIS HERRERA | Board Member | — | ||
| MARYELLEN C HERRINGER | Board Member | — | ||
| ADRIANE IANN | Board Member | — | ||
| BRADLEY JAMES | Board Member | — | ||
| KEVIN PB JOHNSON | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD M KOVACEVICH | Board Member | — | ||
| PAMELA KRAMLICH | Board Member | — | ||
| JANET W LAMKIN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTINE E LAMOND | Board Member | — | ||
| LINDA W GRUBER | Board Member | — | ||
| MARISSA MAYER | Board Member | — | ||
| NION MCEVOY | Board Member | — | ||
| KENNETH P MCNEELY | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTOPHER MEANY | Board Member | — | ||
| JULIE MEHRETU | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S MILLER | Board Member | — | ||
| WES MITCHELL | Board Member | — | ||
| DEBORAH NOVACK | Board Member | — | ||
| KATIE PAIGE | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA S PRITZKER | Board Member | — | ||
| BECCA PROWDA | Board Member | — | ||
| LINNEA CONRAD ROBERTS | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARA SCHREYER | Board Member | — | ||
| KOMAL SHAH | Board Member | — | ||
| LYDIA SHORENSTEIN | Board Member | — | ||
| NORMAN C STONE | Board Member | — | ||
| SONYA YU | Board Member | — | ||
| ROSELYNE CHROMAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN SWIG | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA T VERMUT | Board Member | — | ||
| JOHN WALECKA | Board Member | — | ||
| THOMAS W WEISEL | Board Member | — | ||
| CARLIE WILMANS | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL W WILSEY | Board Member | — | ||
| PAT WILSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBIN M WRIGHT | Board Member | — | ||
| GINA PETERSON | Board Member | — | ||
| ANDREW P PILARA | Board Member | — | ||
| KAY HARRIGAN WOODS | Board Member | — | ||
| NORAH SHARPE STONE | Board Member | — | ||
| IVETTE CALDERA ESSERMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| HUNG LIU | Board Member | — | ||
| DERYCK MAUGHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY DALLAIRE | Board Member | — | ||
| AVRIL ANGEVINE | Board Member | — | ||
| KERRY DALLMAR | Board Member | — | ||
| COURTNEY LOUKIDES | Board Member | — | ||
| AIMEE LE DUC | Board Member | — | ||
| CHARLES R SCHWAB | Board President | — | ||
| BROOKS WALKER JR | Board President | — | ||
| CHARLOTTE MAILLIARD SHULTZ | Board Member | — | ||
| KENT LOGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| RICHARD L GREENE | Board Member | — | ||
| VICKI LOGAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT J FISHER | Board President | — | ||
| DIANA NELSON | Board President | — | ||
| MIMI L HAAS | Board President | — | ||
| CHARLES M COLLINS | Board President | — | ||
| DENNIS J WONG | Treasurer | — | ||
| DAVID MAHONEY | Board Member | — | ||
| ALKA AGRAWAL | Board Member | — | ||
| JOACHIM BECHTLE | Board Member | — | ||
| YVES BEHAR | Board Member | — |
Officer contact details, exact compensation figures, and active litigation are available to verified members.
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Score breakdown
Score breakdown
Financial resilience
40 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
58 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
60 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
51 / 100
Developing
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 333 other orgs in CA with NTEE prefix A5.
Most-divergent component: financial score sits 35 points below the peer median (40 vs. 75).
5-year trend: The Founder's Trap
10-year flat revenue, below-market executive comp, and a small board. The organization survives purely on the sweat equity of a founder, making it utterly un-transferable.
Overall score has gone from 55 → 51 over 5 years (declining by 4 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 2.7% sits within the sector's healthy band (18–22%).
What would change this score
No specific high-impact levers identified — this org's score is balanced across components.
Improving governance is a board decision. These are the levers.