Aspca Salaries of Executives
Aspca Salaries of Executives
The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) is a well-known nonprofit organization that works to prevent cruelty to animals in the United States. Founded in 1866, its mission includes rescuing animals from abuse, advocating for humane laws and providing resources to shelters across the country. Like many large non profits, its executives’ pay has been a matter of public interest and scrutiny. In this article, we discuss ASPCA executive salaries and provide an overview of its executive pay based on the latest available information (to 2023).
ASPCA Financial Overview
Before diving into individual salaries, it’s important to get an overall sense of the organization and how financially healthy it is. ASPCA — The ASPCA is a large organization with expected annual revenues coming from donations, gifts, and grants. The money goes to support everything from direct animal-rescue operations to public education campaigns.
ASPCA – In 2023, ASPCA had revenue of $379 million and expenses of $355 million, increasing its balance in its general fund by $24 million. About $151 million (29% of revenue) of these expenses were for staff compensation for 1,432 employees, with an average of about $105,000 per employee.
Compensation of Executives Summary
ASPCA executive compensation reflects annual changes in roles, responsibilities, and organizational priorities. Here’s a breakdown of the salaries for the top executives in recent years:
| Executive Name | Position | 2021 Compensation | 2022 Compensation | 2023 Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Bershadker | President and CEO | $990,525 | $1,117,171 | $1,203,267 |
| Todd Hendricks | SVP, Development | $506,696 | $525,284 | $559,962 |
| Elizabeth Estroff | SVP, Communications | $442,154 | $515,428 | $524,912 |
| Bert Troughton | SVP, Shelter and Veterinary Services | $468,053 | $495,418 | $514,538 |
| Beverly Jones | SVP, Chief Legal Officer | $403,583 | $476,779 | $505,139 |
| Cheryl Bucci | SVP, Ops and People | $450,392 | $475,426 | $507,108 |
| Stacy Wolf | SVP, Policy, Response, and Engagement | $382,880 | $462,730 | $510,079 |
| Gordon Lavelette | SVP, CFO (as of 3/15/2021) | $251,906 | $425,994 | $482,289 |
| J’Mai Gayle | Director, Surgery | $389,713 | $403,319 | $414,859 |
| Luke Franklin | VP, Membership | N/A | $343,772 | $333,102 |
| Camille Declementi | VP, ASPCA Animal Hospital | $315,510 | $342,151 | $359,131 |
| Jennifer Chin | VP, Legal Advocacy/Investing | $300,539 | $334,809 | $330,383 |
| Amy Berkowitz | VP, Information Technology | $287,544 | $323,416 | $327,597 |
| Erin Demico | VP, People | N/A | N/A | $316,838 |
Note: N/A indicates that the individual was not among the top compensated executives for that year.
Trends and Observations
Stable Leadership: The highest-paid executive of the organization has been Matt Bershadker — its president and chief executive — every year. He has consistently had a raise year over year, and since he has been there a long time (since 1997!), the raises have added up, combined with success in the organization.
Long-Term Growth in Compensation: Over the years, many of the executives have seen significant increases in their compensation. For example, the pay of Stacy Wolf shot up to $510,079 in 2023 from $382,880 in 2021, reflecting a growing post or added duties to perform.
New: This seems like a major sign of growth — Erin Demico, for instance, coming on board in 2023 indicates that the organization is potentially expanding and bringing the need for new roles.
Deferred Compensation Plan
In 2020, the ASPCA implemented a 457(F) Deferred Compensation Plan for the President and CEO. This has an annual contribution of $50k from the employer, which fully vests after five years of employment. The plan, which vests and then renews every five years, is dependent on continued employment.
Prisons compared to Non-Profit Sector
While executive compensation in non-profit entities is quite variable according to organization size, revenue and geography. The New York City-based ASPCA is national in scope with significant revenues, warranting higher executive comp than some smaller non-profits.
For context, the median was about $600,000 in recent years for the compensation of the CEOs of large non-profits (with over $500 million in revenue), according to data compiled by Charity Navigator. Matt Bershadker’s pay exceeds this median and is also in line with the ASPCA’s large revenue and extensive scale of operations.
Separation of Church and State Criticisms
Executive compensation levels in non-profits can become a public relations issue. Critics say such high salaries also divert money from the group’s core mission. But advocates argue that competitive compensation is essential to attract and retain top talent needed to propel the organization forward.
The ASPCA has come under such scrutiny, especially with regard to the CEO’s salary. The organization maintains that its compensation packages are competitive and necessary for effective leadership.
ASPCA executive pay is in line with the organization and others of this size and scope in the nonprofit sector. Although these compensation figures may seem high at first glance, they are in line with the organization’s revenue, and with the demands of leading such a large national organization focused on animal welfare. Like all non-profits, transparency in financial disclosures ensures
