Smithsonian Institution CEO salary and executive pay
The highest-paid person on Smithsonian Institution's return for the fiscal year ending September 2025 was Lonnie G Bunch III, at $1,038,055. On the return for the fiscal year ending September 2024, the highest-paid person was Amy Chen, paid $1,198,017. Total revenue on that return was $1,911,142,906, down 2.3% from $1,955,619,953 for the fiscal year ending September 2024. Smithsonian Institution ranks 10th of 11 arts and culture nonprofits on this site by top pay. Smithsonian Institution has 4 Form 990 returns on record, for fiscal years ending 2022 to 2025.
Last updated from IRS e-file data. EIN 53-0206027, Washington, DC.
Highest-paid person, fiscal year ending September 2025
$1,038,055
No one on this filing has a chief executive title, so this shows the highest-paid person.
- Total revenue
- $1,911,142,906
- Top pay vs. peers
- Higher than 9%
Source: Form 990, fiscal year ending September 2025, IRS object ID 202602239349300630.View the filing
Peers: the 330 other organizations on this site with revenue of $500 million to $5 billion. Ranked 299th of 331 by top pay as a share of revenue. Pay is 0.05% of revenue, our calculation from the same return. Revenue is Part I, line 12; peers are compared on their latest full-year returns.
Highest-paid people on the latest return
On the latest return, 13 people were paid more than $500,000, 1 of them more than $1 million.
| Name and title | Total |
|---|---|
| Lonnie G Bunch IIISECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN | $1,038,055 |
| Amy ChenCHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | $791,151 |
| Meroe ParkDEPUTY SECRETARY & COO | $692,051 |
| Carol LeblancPRESIDENT, SMITHSONIAN ENTERPRISES | $632,690 |
| Ronald CortezUNDER SEC FOR FIN/ADMIN/CFO | $613,373 |
Also paid on the latest return: Robert Spiller (ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADVANCEMENT), $556,096; Melissa Chiu (DIR, HIRSHHORN MUSEUM & SCULPTURE GAR), $555,654; Stephanie Stebich (SR ADV TO THE UNDER SEC MUSEUMS/CULTURE), $545,850; Chase Robinson (DIR, NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART), $540,524; Kevin Gover (UNDER SEC FOR MUSEUMS & CULTURE), $538,930; Jeffrey Smith (MANAGING DIR, OFFICE OF INVESTMENTS), $534,188; Ellen Stofan (UNDER SEC FOR SCIENCE & RESEARCH), $534,119; Jennifer McIntyre (CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER), $510,808; Raymond Moore (SR VICE PRESIDENT, RETAIL GROUP), $466,829; Julissa Marenco (ASST SEC FOR COMMS & EXT AFF/CHIEF MKT OFC), $393,800; Porter Wilkinson (COUNSELOR/CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE REGENTS), $292,345; Nicole Angarella (INSPECTOR GENERAL), $279,751; Derek Ross (DIR, OFC OF PLNG, DSGN & CONSTRUCTION), $276,306; Farleigh Earhart Thru 31024 (GENERAL COUNSEL (ACTING)), $270,036; Joan Mockeridge Thru 51924 (INSPECTOR GENERAL (ACTING)), $252,478; and 1 more.
Also listed in Part VII of the latest return, with no pay reported: Dr Risa J Lavizzo-Mourey (REGENT), Honorable Adrian Smith (REGENT), Honorable Barbara Barrett (REGENT), Honorable Carlos Gimenez (REGENT), Honorable Catherine Cortez Masto (REGENT), Honorable Doris Matsui (REGENT), Honorable Garrett Graves Thru 1325 (REGENT), Honorable Gary Peters (REGENT), Honorable JD VANCE (REGENT), Honorable John Boozman (REGENT), Honorable John G Roberts Jr (REGENT), Honorable Kamala Harris Thru 11925 (REGENT), Mr Franklin Raines (REGENT), Mr John M Fahey (REGENT), Mr Michael Govan (REGENT), Mr Michael M Lynton (REGENT), Mr Roger W Ferguson Jr (REGENT), Ms Denise M O'Leary (REGENT), Ms Toni C Bush (REGENT).
Top pay by year
Each row is the CEO on that year's return, or the highest-paid person where no one has a chief executive title.
| Fiscal year ending | Name and title | Total | Revenue | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2025 | Lonnie G Bunch IIISECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN (highest-paid; no CEO title listed) | $1,038,055 | $1,911,142,906 | Filing |
| Sep 2024 | Amy ChenCHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER (highest-paid; no CEO title listed) | $1,198,017 | $1,955,619,953 | Filing |
| Sep 2023 | Amy ChenCHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER (highest-paid; no CEO title listed) | $1,157,312 | $1,876,542,577 | Filing |
| Sep 2022 | Amy ChenCHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER (highest-paid; no CEO title listed) | $825,050 | $1,855,983,046 | Filing |
How this pay was reported
The parts of each total, as reported on the return for the fiscal year ending September 2025.
Source: Form 990, fiscal year ending September 2025, IRS object ID 202602239349300630.View the filing
| Part VII | Schedule J | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name and title | From org | Other | Base | Bonus | Other | Deferred | Nontaxable | Total |
| Lonnie G Bunch IIISECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN | $960,266 | $77,789 | $916,614 | $35,000 | $8,652 | $50,220 | $27,569 | $1,038,055 |
| Amy ChenCHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | $738,911 | $52,240 | $469,130 | $264,447 | $5,334 | $50,220 | $2,020 | $791,151 |
| Meroe ParkDEPUTY SECRETARY & COO | $640,049 | $52,002 | $613,243 | $25,000 | $1,806 | $50,220 | $1,782 | $692,051 |
| Carol LeblancPRESIDENT, SMITHSONIAN ENTERPRISES | $608,701 | $23,989 | $410,592 | $186,461 | $11,648 | $0 | $23,989 | $632,690 |
| Ronald CortezUNDER SEC FOR FIN/ADMIN/CFO | $533,297 | $80,076 | $452,462 | $75,000 | $5,835 | $50,220 | $29,856 | $613,373 |
These figures come from Smithsonian Institution's Form 990 returns, as the IRS publishes them. The methodology page explains how they're chosen. To report an error, email corrections@ceopaycheck.com.
How Smithsonian Institution compares
Ranked 10th of 11 arts and culture nonprofits by top pay.
- Previous in this ranking: 9th, Huntington Library, $1,102,364
- Next in this ranking: 11th, Whitney Museum of American Art, $999,235
Closest in revenue among organizations in the same revenue band:
BAYADA Home Health Care$5,516,084 (CEO), fiscal year ending Dec 2024
Howard Hughes Medical Institute$1,721,384 (CEO), fiscal year ending Aug 2025
The Nature Conservancy$936,855 (CEO), fiscal year ending Jun 2025
Chicago Community Trust$685,048 (CEO), fiscal year ending Sep 2025
AIDS Healthcare Foundation$668,273 (CEO), fiscal year ending Dec 2024
Common questions
The fiscal year ending September 2025 filing does not list anyone with a chief executive title. The highest-paid person, Lonnie G Bunch III (SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN), was paid $1,038,055: $960,266 from Smithsonian Institution and $77,789 in other compensation (Part VII columns D and F).
The highest-paid person on the latest return was Lonnie G Bunch III (SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN), at $1,038,055.
The highest-paid person on Smithsonian Institution's return for the fiscal year ending September 2025 was Lonnie G Bunch III, at $1,038,055. On the return for the fiscal year ending September 2024, the highest-paid person was Amy Chen, paid $1,198,017. The earliest return on record is for the fiscal year ending September 2022, when the highest-paid person was Amy Chen, paid $825,050. By fiscal year end: September 2022, $825,050 (Amy Chen); September 2023, $1,157,312; September 2024, $1,198,017; September 2025, $1,038,055 (Lonnie G Bunch III).
Smithsonian Institution's return for the fiscal year ending September 2025 reports total expenses of $1,701,048,762 and total revenue of $1,911,142,906 (Part I, lines 18 and 12), so revenue exceeded expenses by $210,094,144. Expenses were $1,679,118,317 for the fiscal year ending September 2024, so they rose 1.3%. The highest-paid person's pay of $1,038,055 equals 0.06% of expenses, our calculation.
From the 4 Form 990 returns Smithsonian Institution filed with the IRS for fiscal years ending 2022 to 2025. The latest full-year return was filed on August 11, 2026. Schedule J of the fiscal year ending September 2025 return breaks down pay for all 5 people in the pay breakdown above.