A family-led consulting team
Financial guidance, business consulting, and practical AI enablement — bringing seasoned strategy and hands-on innovation together.
Not sure where to start? We'll help you find the right path — from insurance and financial strategy to AI tools that make everyday work easier.
From family protection and sharper business finances to AI-ready workflows — we'll tailor the conversation to what will make the biggest difference.
Life insurance
Licensed for life & health in Washington. I help individuals and families compare options from multiple carriers — so you choose coverage with confidence.
Business & financial consulting
Drawing on an MBA from the University of Chicago, the CFA charter, and 15 years in corporate risk management at Microsoft, I consult with owners and professionals who want sharper financial insight.
AI systems & automation
We help teams move from curiosity to useful, responsible AI adoption — with clear workflows and automations that reduce busywork and make everyday work more productive.
Engagements can focus on one area or bring several together — financial perspective, practical technology, and thoughtful implementation. Tell us what you're exploring — we'll map the right next step together.
AI capabilities, matched to your needs
Some teams need a better everyday workflow. Others need a tailored system built to connect data, tools, and operations. We can help at either level.
For small and growing teams: identify repeat work, connect the right tools, and create dependable automations for documents, research, follow-up, and operations.
For tech-forward organizations: design custom internal tools, data and cloud architecture, automated pipelines, and advanced multi-step AI systems—including agent orchestration—when a tailored build is the right fit.
Built on technical depth, rigorous training, and real-world financial leadership.
University of Chicago
University of Houston
Chartered Financial Analyst
Interdisciplinary academic foundation
Risk management at Microsoft
Technical foundation before finance
Washington Life & Health insurance
I founded Illume Pathway to bring together two threads of my career: helping people protect their families through life insurance, and helping businesses think more clearly about financial performance and strategy.
My career began in software engineering before I moved into finance and risk management. I went on to lead risk management work at Microsoft for fifteen years, earn my CFA, complete an MBA at the University of Chicago, and earn a master's in computer science from the University of Houston. Across three master's degrees, that interdisciplinary background shapes how I work — structured, transparent, and focused on what the numbers and technology actually mean for your decisions.
I'm not here to push a single product or a rigid package. Some clients need insurance guidance; others want consulting on profitability or investment strategy; many aren't sure yet. That's completely fine — we'll start with your questions and build from there.
Illume Pathway pairs Michelle's seasoned financial perspective with the next generation's product, creative, and AI-focused work.
AI & digital strategy
Bradshaw helps shape Illume Pathway's AI consulting and digital direction. An incoming University of Washington computer science student with AI/ML research and social-impact technology experience, he brings a builder's mindset to useful AI tools, streamlined work, and practical systems.
View Bradshaw's portfolioProduct & creative development
Jaydon is a co-builder of Illume Pathway and contributes fresh ideas, learning-focused product work, and a collaborative creative perspective as we expand Illume Pathway's offerings.
Explore the Atelier project
Backend engineering & data architecture
Haitao brings more than fifteen years of experience scaling high-throughput .NET, C++, and Azure cloud infrastructure. His background in AI integration, vehicle-to-cloud telemetry, and systems optimization adds deep technical perspective to the technical foundation behind online products, workflows, data systems, and architecture that Illume Pathway can help clients design as they grow.
Connect with Haitao on LinkedInA straightforward process — for insurance, financial consulting, or practical AI support.
Reach out by email or the form below. Share what you're hoping to solve — no prep required.
We'll discuss your goals and whether life insurance, financial consulting, AI enablement, or a combination makes sense.
For insurance, Michelle helps you compare carrier options. For consulting and AI work, we define scope and useful outcomes together.
Clear answers — whether you're here for insurance, consulting, or still deciding.
Tell us what you're exploring — life insurance, financial consulting, AI enablement, or something else. We'll follow up to schedule a call.