The Central Park Conservancy pay package for its top leaders has climbed sharply, with CEO Elizabeth Smith earning $1,211,800 in 2024, according to the nonprofit’s latest tax filing. The Central Park Conservancy compensation figures show Smith’s pay rose nearly 30% from $933,592 in 2023, putting her among the highest-paid nonprofit executives tied to one of New York City’s most visible public spaces.
Smith’s compensation was also about double what she received five years earlier, when the organization paid her $605,000. She has served as president and CEO since 2018. Before that, she worked as an assistant commissioner in the city Parks Department under former Mayor Mike Bloomberg and spent 25 years in finance. Smith is married to former Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.
The filing showed that Smith was not alone in drawing a large salary. Chief Financial Officer Stephen Spinelli received $746,635 in 2024, up 14% from $654,429 the year before. Roger Mosier, who serves as chief of park operations, earned $544,054, a 3% increase from $528,552. In all, 10 administrators at the conservancy were paid $300,000 or more, while three others took home between $263,000 and $295,000. The top executives also receive bonuses or incentives on top of base pay.
The conservancy oversees and maintains the 843-acre park under a contract with the city Parks Department, which gives the organization a major role in caring for one of New York’s best-known landmarks. Smith also drew attention last year when she backed legislation aimed at phasing out horse carriages in Central Park. That push gained momentum after the death of a teen tourist, and it angered the horse carriage industry.
