These Nonprofits Pay Some Executives Up to $8.1 Million in Compensation

CharityWatch’s “A+” to “F” letter grade ratings and financial efficiency ratios take into account how a nonprofit’s employee salaries and other compensation are allocated among program, management & general, and fundraising functions.

Nonprofits generally allocate compensation based on how each member of staff spends their time. For example, the salary of a doctor who spends 100% of their time on a charity’s program activities, such as providing direct medical care, would generally be allocated 100% to program. A fundraising or development executive’s salary would be allocated 100% to fundraising. An executive director or president of a charity might spent 40% of their time on program activities, 25% of their time managing their nonprofit, and 35% on fundraising, and this person’s compensation would be allocated among program, management & general, and fundraising expenses commensurately.

 

1 Name: Craig B. Thompson, M.D. Title: Past President/CEO Charity: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Compensation: $8,104,960 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

Note: Includes $6,080,000 bonus & incentive compensation.

2 Name: Jason Klein Title: Senior VP/Chief Investment Officer Charity: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Compensation: $6,868,047 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

Note: Includes $2,530,000 bonus & incentive compensation and $2,980,253 deferred compensation.

3 Name: Nancy Brown Title: CEO Charity: American Heart Association Compensation: $4,145,055 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

Note: Includes $2,994,278 bonus & incentive compensation.

4 Name: Robert W. Stone Title: President/CEO Charity: City of Hope & Affiliates Compensation: $3,684,871 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2022

Note: Includes $1,445,927 bonus & incentive compensation.

5 Name: Mark Bilsky, M.D. Title: Attenting – Neurosurgery Charity: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Compensation: $3,403,996 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

Note: Includes $1,500,000 bonus & incentive compensation.

6 Name: Kenneth Roth Title: Past Executive Director Charity: Human Rights Watch Compensation: $2,799,333 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

Note: Includes $2,270,259 of “Other Reportable Compensation.” Total compensation includes “remuneration upon his departure from the organization” and “reasonable compensation for his ongoing assistance and advice to HRW.”

7 Name: Michael S. Salem, M.D. Title: President/CEO Charity: National Jewish Health Compensation: $2,582,579 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

Note: Includes $1,227,650 bonus & incentive compensation.

8 Name: Laurie H. Glimcher, M.D. Title: President/CEO Charity: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Compensation: $2,339,457 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2023

9 Name: Joseph P. Taylor, M.D. Title: Executive VP/Scientific Director Charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Compensation: $2,320,694 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

Note: Includes $1,411,018 bonus & incentive compensation.

10 Name: Jack Mahler, M.D. Title: Chief Investment Officer Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Compensation: $2,248,532 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

Note: Includes $1,760,233 bonus & incentive compensation.

11 Name: Harlan Levine, M.D. Title: President, Health Innovation & Policy Charity: City of Hope & Affiliates Compensation: $2,232,377 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2022

12 Name: Steven T. Rosen, M.D. Title: Chief Scientific Officer Charity: City of Hope & Affiliates Compensation: $1,955,873 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2022

13 Name: James R. Downing, M.D. Title: President/CEO Charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Compensation: $1,851,107 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

14 Name: Harry Johns Title: Past President/CEO Charity: Alzheimer’s Association Compensation: $1,481,516 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

15 Name: Deborah W. Brooks Title: Co-Founder/CEO Charity: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Compensation: $1,404,335 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

16 Name: Kelli Jo Shidler, M.D. Title: Physician Charity: Boys Town Compensation: $1,350,715 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

17 Name: Sarah C. Hirshland Title: CEO Charity: United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Compensation: $1,302,584 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

18 Name: Charles M. Roberts, M.D. Title: Executive VP/Director Cancer Center Charity: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Compensation: $1,293,394 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

19 Name: David Miliband Title: President/CEO Charity: International Rescue Committee Compensation: $1,253,728 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2023

20 Name: Todd Sherer Title: Chief Mission Officer Charity: Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Compensation: $1,236,035 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

21 Name: Marc H. Morial Title: President/CEO Charity: National Urban League (National Office) Compensation: $1,208,640 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

22 Name: Jonathan A. Greenblatt Title: CEO/National Director Charity: Anti-Defamation League & Foundation Compensation: $1,207,978 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

23 Name: Carter Roberts Title: President/CEO Charity: World Wildlife Fund Compensation: $1,204,775 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

24 Name: Fred Krupp Title: President & EDF Action Executive Director Charity: Environmental Defense Fund Compensation: $1,192,794 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2023

25 Name: Michael P. Boyle, M.D. Title: President/CEO Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Compensation: $1,190,095 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

26 Name: Leslie Upton Title: COO Charity: American Heart Association Compensation: $1,187,544 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

27 Name: James L. Clark Title: President/CEO Charity: Boys & Girls Clubs of America (National Office) Compensation: $1,171,813 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

28 Name: Wayne R. LaPierre Title: Past Executive VP & NRA Foundation Ex-Officio Charity: National Rifle Association (NRA) Compensation: $1,171,699 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

Note: Wayne LaPierre announced his resignation as chief executive of the NRA, effective January 31, 2024.

29 Name: William Hahn, M.D. Title: COO/Executive VP Charity: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Compensation: $1,158,231 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2023

30 Name: Mariell Jessup Title: Chief Science & Medical Officer Charity: American Heart Association Compensation: $1,131,559 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

31 Name: Earl Lee Title: Managing Director, Investments Charity: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Compensation: $1,130,430 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

32 Name: Karen E. Knudsen Title: CEO Charity: American Cancer Society Compensation: $1,118,608 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

33 Name: Matt Bershadker Title: President/CEO Charity: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) Compensation: $1,117,171 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2022

34 Name: Laurie Spieler Title: VP, Legal Charity: Shriners Hospitals for Children Compensation: $1,111,497 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

35 Name: Purnendu Gupta, M.D. Title: Chief of Staff Charity: Shriners Hospitals for Children Compensation: $1,086,969 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

36 Name: John Wattenbarger, M.D. Title: Physician Group Lead Charity: Shriners Hospitals for Children Compensation: $1,073,720 Fiscal Year: 12/31/2023

37 Name: Michael L. Reney Title: CFO Charity: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Compensation: $1,067,239 Fiscal Year: 09/30/2023

38 Name: Robert Doar Title: President Charity: American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research Compensation: $1,062,420 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

39 Name: Cristian Samper Title: Past President/CEO Charity: Wildlife Conservation Society Compensation: $1,048,650 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

40 Name: Sanjayan Muttulingam Title: CEO Charity: Conservation International Foundation Compensation: $1,041,355 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

41 Name: Kevin M. Rudd Title: Past President/CEO; Past President, ASPI Charity: Asia Society Compensation: $1,031,855 Fiscal Year: 06/30/2023

Due to differences in the way compensation is allocated by charities in their IRS Form(s) 990 and audited financial statements, high salaries do not necessarily indicate inefficiencies just as low salaries are not always beneficial. Rather than perceiving a particular nonprofit executive’s compensation as too high or too low based on its nominal value, appropriate salaries are better determined by considering factors such as special skills needed for the position, relevant education and experience, and the complexity of a charity’s operations. CharityWatch encourages donors to view each nonprofit’s letter grade rating to better understand how efficiently it is operating overall prior to making a giving decision.