Dorria Ball
About Dorria Ball
Dorria L. Ball is Chief People Officer at The Honest Company (HNST), effective January 2, 2024, after serving as interim CPO beginning August 2023; she is 63 years old and holds a degree from Indiana University with executive coaching certifications from Columbia University and the International Coach Federation . During her tenure, HNST’s operating performance improved: for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, net income reached $7.9M versus a $5.3M loss in the prior year, revenue was $283.3M, and Adjusted EBITDA was $18.1M, reflecting progress on profitability initiatives .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Years | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Ballance Group | Founder & President | Oct 2014–Jan 2024 | Executive coaching and organizational development for Fortune 500 C‑suite |
| Mondelēz International | VP, HR – US Sales & Global Diversity | 2012–2015 | Led HR and diversity initiatives across US Sales and global functions |
| Kraft Foods (The Kraft Heinz Company) | HR Business Leader (incl. Latin America) | 2000–2012 | Human capital leadership for regional businesses including Latin America |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Network of Executive Women | Board/Leadership contributor | Not disclosed |
| Dress for Success Worldwide | Board/Leadership contributor | Not disclosed |
Fixed Compensation
| Year | Base Salary ($) | Target Bonus % | Actual Non-Equity Incentive Paid ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 350,000 | 55% | 258,000 | No sign-on bonus in 2024; NEO payout tied to corporate goals |
Performance Compensation
| Component | Weighting | Metric(s) | Target | Actual | Payout | Vesting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Financial results | 50% | Net revenue, Adjusted EBITDA | Not disclosed | Company achieved maximum for both metrics | Contributed to total 121.9% of target | Annual cash bonus (paid post-year) |
| Operating priorities (4 equally weighted) | 50% | Expand retail distribution; operational efficiency; innovation pipeline; organizational effectiveness | Not disclosed | Achieved 3 priorities fully; retail distribution partially | Contributed to total 121.9% of target | Annual cash bonus (paid post-year) |
The proxy reports total NEO bonus payout at 121.9% of target for 2024, driven by maximum financial metric attainment and mixed operating-priority results; individual metric targets are not disclosed .
Equity Ownership & Alignment
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Beneficial ownership (shares) | 43,963 (less than 1% of 110,229,634 outstanding as of Mar 31, 2025) |
| Unvested RSUs outstanding at 12/31/2024 | 208,757 RSUs; $1,446,686 market value |
| Initial RSU grant (employment agreement) | $650,000 grant, 208,757 shares |
| RSU vesting schedule | 25% vests March 4, 2025; remaining 75% vests in 12 equal quarterly installments thereafter (1/12 per quarter), subject to continued service |
| Hedging & pledging | Prohibited by Insider Trading Policy (no short sales, margin accounts, pledging, or derivatives) |
| Clawback policy | Adopted Oct 2, 2023 under Exchange Act Rule 10D‑1/Nasdaq 5608 |
Employment Terms
| Term | Provision |
|---|---|
| Start & status | Employment agreement dated Jan 1, 2024; effective Jan 2, 2024; at‑will |
| Base salary | $350,000 |
| Target annual bonus | 55% of base |
| Initial equity | RSUs valued at $650,000 (208,757 shares) |
| RSU vesting mechanics | 25% on Mar 4, 2025; 1/12 of remainder quarterly thereafter |
| Severance (no‑fault/Good Reason) | Cash severance equal to 6 months of then‑current base salary; Company‑paid COBRA premiums; contingent on timely release and separation |
| Change‑of‑control | Ball’s agreement does not disclose additional change‑of‑control multiples or accelerated vesting beyond the severance terms above; CoC terms are detailed for other executives (e.g., Alba) but not for Ball |
| Good Reason/ Cause definitions | Standard definitions (material duty/title reduction; pay cut up to 25%; relocation >25 miles; breach; willful misconduct, fraud, refusal to follow lawful instructions, etc.) |
| Benefits & perquisites (2024) | Relocation expenses $87,646; 401(k) match $5,923; life insurance premium $155 |
| Retirement plan | 401(k) with 100% match on first 4% of eligible compensation; immediate vesting |
Investment Implications
- Pay-for-performance alignment: 2024 NEO bonus payouts at 121.9% of target reflect strong attainment on financial goals and mixed operating priorities; Ball’s non‑equity payout was $258,000, indicating alignment with company performance .
- Retention and selling pressure: Ball has 208,757 unvested RSUs with a clear vesting cadence (25% cliff in Mar 2025, then quarterly), which creates ongoing retention hooks and potential periodic liquidity events around vest dates; hedging/pledging are prohibited, reducing misalignment risk .
- Governance safeguards: A Dodd‑Frank compliant clawback (effective Oct 2023) and strict insider trading policies mitigate compensation and trading‑related risks; severance is limited to 6 months of base salary for no‑fault/Good Reason cases, capping change‑in‑control windfalls for Ball .
- Execution context: Company profitability improved in 2025 (YTD net income and Adjusted EBITDA positive), supporting bonus outcomes and potentially lowering retention risk as operational efficiency gains are realized .
- Compensation oversight: Semler Brossy advised the Compensation Committee on program design; as an EGC, HNST is exempt from say‑on‑pay votes, reducing immediate external voting pressure but placing emphasis on committee governance quality .