The Founder's Trap
The Founder's Trap
Market
Archetype
Mechanical
Natural
Tier
Stable
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
85
Score
Governance
85
Score
Financial
80
Score
Program
—
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 | Hidden | Hidden | 1.2% | 53 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2022 | — | — | 4.3% | 53 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2021 | — | — | 5.0% | 52 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2020 | — | — | 3.6% | 53 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2019 | — | — | 4.3% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2018 | — | — | 1.8% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2017 | — | — | 1.4% | 55 | Fragile | Recovery | |
| 2016 | — | — | 3.8% | 51 | Fragile | Decline Risk | |
| 2015 | — | — | 3.3% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2014 | — | — | 2.2% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2013 | — | — | 2.6% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2012 | — | — | 2.9% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch | |
| 2011 | — | — | 3.2% | 55 | Fragile | Stable Watch |
Officer compensation history
Tax year 2025
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID STULL | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| KATHLEEN NICELY | Board President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHRYN WITTENMYER | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| ELIZABETH GIUDICESSI | Vice President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| YOSHIKAZU NAGAI | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| SIMON JAMES | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JONAS WRIGHT | DEAN | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| EDWIN OUTWATER | Board Member | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| REGINA LEE | Vice President | 0.1% of Rev | ||
| TIMOTHY FOO | Board President | — | ||
| DEEPA PAKIANATHAN | Board President | — | ||
| CAMILLA SMITH | Board President | — | ||
| KAREN KUBIN | Secretary | — | ||
| BARBARA WALKOWSKI | Treasurer | — | ||
| LOCK BINGHAM | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL CASEY | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA-SEN CHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIANE DE BORD | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA DELAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL DOLL | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES FREEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY J GAO | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY GARABEDIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CARL KAUFMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID KREMER | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSSAN MARINEAU | Board Member | — | ||
| PAYAM MIRRASHIDA | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP NICOL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY POLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHEN RUBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| RESOMARIA SHIM | Board Member | — | ||
| MAUREEN O'BRIEN SULLIVAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE TOM | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICE WERDEGAR | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL WHITMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE ZACK | Board Member | — | ||
| SIWEI ZOU | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2023
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID STULL | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| DAVID STULL | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| KATHLEEN NICELY | Board President | 0.3% of Rev | ||
| CESAR ULLOA | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHLEEN NICELY | Board President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JAMES SIMON | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| CESAR ULLOA | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHRYN WITTENMYER | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| YOSHIKAZU NAGAI | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| YOSHIKAZU NAGAI | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| SIMON JAMES | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHRYN WITTENMYER | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JONAS WRIGHT | DEAN | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| DIMITRI MURRATH | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| ELIZABETH GIUDICESSI | Vice President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JONAS WRIGHT | DEAN | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| TIMOTHY FOO | Board President | — | ||
| DEEPA PAKIANATHAN | Board President | — | ||
| CAMILLA SMITH | Board President | — | ||
| KAREN KUBIN | Secretary | — | ||
| BARBARA WALKOWSKI | Treasurer | — | ||
| LOCK BINGHAM | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL CASEY | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA-SEN CHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIANE DE BORD | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA DELAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL DOLL | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES FREEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY J GAO | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY GARABEDIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CARL KAUFMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| TIMOTHY FOO | Board President | — | ||
| DAVID KREMER | Board Member | — | ||
| DEEPA PAKIANATHAN | Treasurer | — | ||
| SUSSAN MARINEAU | Board Member | — | ||
| CAMILLA SMITH | Board President | — | ||
| PAYAM MIRRASHIDA | Board Member | — | ||
| KAREN KUBIN | Secretary | — | ||
| PHILIP NICOL | Board Member | — | ||
| EILEEN BLUM | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY POLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHEN RUBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL CASEY | Board Member | — | ||
| RESOMARIA SHIM | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA-SEN CHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MAUREEN O'BRIEN SULLIVAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIANE DE BORD | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE TOM | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA DELAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICE WERDEGAR | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL DOLL | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL WHITMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES FREEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE ZACK | Board Member | — | ||
| ANISYA FRITZ | Board Member | — | ||
| SIWEI ZOU | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY GAO | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY GARABEDIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID KREMER | Board Member | — | ||
| ADITI MANDPE | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN MARINEAU | Board Member | — | ||
| PAYAM MIRRASHIDI | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP NICOL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY POLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| JOSHUA RAFNER | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHEN RUBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIA SHIM | Board Member | — | ||
| MAUREEN O'BRIEN SULLIVAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE TOM | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA WALKOWSKI | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICE WERDEGAR | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL WHITMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE ZACK | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT ZERBST | Board Member | — | ||
| SIWEI ZOU | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2022
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID STULL | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| CESAR ULLOA | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHLEEN NICELY | Board President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JAMES SIMON | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHRYN WITTENMYER | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| YOSHIKAZU NAGAI | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| DIMITRI MURRATH | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JONAS WRIGHT | DEAN | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| TIMOTHY FOO | Board President | — | ||
| DEEPA PAKIANATHAN | Treasurer | — | ||
| CAMILLA SMITH | Board President | — | ||
| KAREN KUBIN | Secretary | — | ||
| EILEEN BLUM | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL CASEY | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA-SEN CHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIANE DE BORD | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA DELAN | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL DOLL | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES FREEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ANISYA FRITZ | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY GAO | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY GARABEDIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID KREMER | Board Member | — | ||
| ADITI MANDPE | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN MARINEAU | Board Member | — | ||
| PAYAM MIRRASHIDI | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP NICOL | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY POLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| JOSHUA RAFNER | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHEN RUBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIA SHIM | Board Member | — | ||
| MAUREEN O'BRIEN SULLIVAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE TOM | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA WALKOWSKI | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICE WERDEGAR | Board Member | — | ||
| MICHAEL WHITMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE ZACK | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT ZERBST | Board Member | — | ||
| SIWEI ZOU | Board Member | — |
Tax year 2021
| Name | Title | Phone | Compensation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVID STULL | Board President | 0.5% of Rev | ||
| KATHLEEN NICELY | Board President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| CESAR ULLOA | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| SUSAN MCCONKEY | Vice President | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| JONAS WRIGHT | DEAN | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| YOSHIKAZU NAGAI | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| KATHRYN WITTENMYER | Treasurer | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| DIMITRI MURRATH | COLLEGIATE FACULTY | 0.2% of Rev | ||
| TIMOTHY FOO | Board President | — | ||
| DEEPA PAKIANATHAN | Board President | — | ||
| MICHAEL WHITMAN | Board President | — | ||
| KAREN KUBIN | Secretary | — | ||
| JOSHUA RAFNER | Treasurer | — | ||
| ADITI MANDPE | Board Member | — | ||
| ANISYA FRITZ | Board Member | — | ||
| BARBARA WALKOWSKI | Board Member | — | ||
| CAMILLA SMITH | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL CASEY | Board Member | — | ||
| CAROL DOLL | Board Member | — | ||
| CHRISTIANE DE BORD | Board Member | — | ||
| DAVID KREMER | Board Member | — | ||
| DIANE ZACK | Board Member | — | ||
| EILEEN BLUM | Board Member | — | ||
| GARY GARABEDIAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JAMES FREEMAN | Board Member | — | ||
| JAN BUCKLEY | Board Member | — | ||
| JANE TOM | Board Member | — | ||
| JEFFREY GAO | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA DELAN | Board Member | — | ||
| LISA GROTTS | Board Member | — | ||
| MARIA SHIM | Board Member | — | ||
| MARY POLAND | Board Member | — | ||
| MAUREEN SULLIVAN | Board Member | — | ||
| MAURICE WERDEGAR | Board Member | — | ||
| PAYAM MIRRASHIDI | Board Member | — | ||
| PHILIP NICOL | Board Member | — | ||
| REBECCA-SEN CHAN | Board Member | — | ||
| ROBERT ZERBST | Board Member | — | ||
| SIWEI ZOU | Board Member | — | ||
| STEPHEN RUBIN | Board Member | — | ||
| SUSAN MARINEAU | 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
80 / 100
weight 40%
Governance risk
85 / 100
weight 40%
Program scale
0 / 100
weight 20%
Overall
85 / 100
Stable
The three components combine into a single 0–100 score weighted as shown. Full methodology →
Peer comparison
Compared to 1,953 other orgs in US with NTEE prefix B4.
Most-divergent component: governance score sits 0 points above the peer median (85 vs. 85).
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 → 53 over 5 years (declining by 2 points).
What's driving this score
- Comp-to-revenue ratio of 0.0% 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.