Executive Compensation at Doctors Without Borders (2022)

Doctors Without Borders (DWB) or Médicins Sans Frontiers in French, is an international humanitarian medical organization – tax-exempt and non-profit – of French origin that provides emergency and medical care around the world.  The US office is one of 24 worldwide offices that is governed by 14 voting members (directors), 13 of whom are independent, of the governing body (board of directors).

Based in New York, NY, DWB reported total revenue of $689 million in 2022 with the largest sources of revenue reported to be contributions, gifts, and grants ($675 million).

Expenses totaled $647 million (94% of revenue)   with the largest expenses reported to be grants ($514 million), office-related expenses ($42 million) and compensation ($37 million). .

568 employees received $37 million in compensation, which equates to an average compensation of $65,000.  81 employees received more than $100,000 in compensation with the most highly compensated reported to be:

• $261,883:  Avril Benoit, Executive Director
• $252,538:  Northan Hurtado Herier, Medical Advisor
• $246,915:  Carrie Teicher, Director of Programs
• $250,719:  David Epstein, Director of Domestic
• $214,001:  Rebekah Varela, Deputy Executive Director
• $203,548:  Kavita Menon, Director, Communications
• $211,386:  Kim Goldsmith N’Daiye, Director of Development
• $189,597:  Allison Westfield James, Director, People and Culture (effective 6/22)
• $187,283:  Cameron Wrigley, Director, Finance

5 of the 9 most highly compensated employees are female while 4 of the 9 are male.  The 5 most highly compensated employees received $5 million in compensation from 2018-2022:

Avril Benoit:  Total Compensation  2020-2022:  $750,000

• 2022:  $261,883
• 2021:  $240,583
• 2020:  $252,559

Northan Hurtado Herier:  Total Compensation 2018-2022:  $1.2 million

• 2022:  $252,538
• 2021:  $236,351
• 2020:  $236,569
• 2019:  $228,402
• 2018:  $218,791

Rebekah Varela:  Total Compensation 2021-2022:  $400,000

• 2022:  $214,001
• 2021:  $198,264

Carrie Teicher:  Total Compensation  2018-2022:  $1.2 million

• 2022:  $246,915
• 2021:  $230,799
• 2020:  $230,927
• 2019:  $217,634
• 2018:  $208,288

David Epstein:  Total Compensation  2018-2022: $1.1 million 

• 2022:  $250,719
• 2021:  $222,775
• 2020:  $229,305
• 2019:  $212,897
• 2018:  $208,168

DWB did not pay for first class or charter travel, travel for companions, social or health club dues or initiation fees, or provide gross up payments, tax indemnification or residences for personal use. It appears the US office of DWB’s purpose is to raise funds and make grants to Doctors Without Borders member offices – primarily overseas.

11 independent contractors received more than $100,000 in compensation with the 5 most highly compensated reported to be:

• $2,531,010:  Personal Fundraising Services, of Chicag0, IL for street canvassing
• $  727,593:  Jackson River, of Columbus, GA for fundraising
• $  348,511:  Public Interest Communications, of Westminister, CO for telefundraising
• $  319,500:  Multiply Strategies, of St Paul, MN for fundraising
• $185,000:  Grant Thornton, LLP, of Minneapolis, MN for information security

It is important to note the Form 990, Schedule G reports DWB used 10 fundraising organizations who raised $194 million, were compensated $37 million (19% of what they raised), netting DWB $157 million.

To read the IRS Form 990 (2022), click here.