About Us

Illume Ink

ILLUME offers end-to-end consulting to the energy industry through cutting-edge social and data-science research services. Drawing on a deep bench of technical experts – from backgrounds as varied as anthropology to economics to public health to engineering to physics to graphic design — ILLUME provides our clients with a holistic and boutique consulting experience. We support clients as they push the envelope to leverage emerging technology, empathy-focused research, data analytics, and customer-centric design strategies to build cleaner, safer, and more resilient energy infrastructure and, ultimately, healthier and more sustainable communities. ILLUME is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, with offices in Portland, Oregon, and Tucson, Arizona, and team members in D.C., California, Maine, Idaho, Washington, Colorado, and New Hampshire.

ILLUME is a values-driven company, committed to building an environment that encourages our team to flourish professionally while still pursuing their passions at home and in their communities.  

Our Mission

  • Elevate the voices of our colleagues through collaboration and public research
  •  Build a thriving clean energy economy with a focus on environmental and social justice
  • Transform the energy industry equitably, to the benefit of all communities

Our Vision

ILLUME is the premier consultancy for advancing, re-envisioning, and equitably transforming the energy industry. We align with clean energy and social justice imperatives and give primacy to human dreams and aspirations so that all can thrive in a clean energy future.

Our Values

We Embody an Entrepreneurial Spirit to Equitably Transform the Energy Industry. . .

  • And push boundaries to move beyond zero-sum thinking to ensure that all benefit from our solutions.
  • By naming and shedding light on actions that do not benefit people or cause harm so that innovation does not occur at the expense of people.
  • Through experimenting and exploring our environment to find progressive solutions that are possible, feasible, and just.

We Conscientiously Serve our Communities and Clients. . .

  • By centering people in our work and dignifying their needs, values, and aspirations.
  • By taking seriously the challenges facing our industry and working to solve those challenges from an abundance mindset.
  • Through our commitment to professional integrity and by imbuing each task with a purpose greater than ourselves.

We Empower One Another and Co-conspire for Change. . .

  • Working shoulder-to-shoulder as colleagues toward growth – for ourselves, our company, and our clients.
  • To create transformative solutions and move our industry toward a just transition towards decarbonization.
  • By honoring the unique contributions of our colleagues and leveraging our differences to create breakthroughs and foster thought leadership.

How We Work

In addition to our Values, the ILLUME team has a set of core principles that outline how we aspire to work and how we work together and are the attributes we look for in future team members. These are:

  • We are brave – We set boundaries and lean into difficult conversations. We take time to give and accept feedback in direct, dignified ways. We recognize that clear is kind and that everyone has a right to understand their areas of excellence and opportunities for growth.
  • We start with the source – We have direct conversations with each other not about each other. We resolve conflict and provide coaching directly to our colleagues. We do not work around each other; we work with one another.
  • We are curious and we embrace learning in all forms  – We ask questions and seek knowledge. We embrace learning and we see disagreement as an opportunity to grow and expand our understanding of each other and the industry we serve.
  • We take good care of ourselves and others – We treat each other with respect and compassion. We practice gratitude. We are mindful of other’s time. We assume the best in others.
  • We push boundaries – We call out injustices when we see them. We push ourselves, each other, and the industry to do better. We do this through calling in our team members, our clients, and our stakeholders by asking them to think bigger, more compassionately, and with a commitment to service.

Acknowledgments

ILLUME would like to acknowledge that the work of ILLUME takes place on land that was stolen from Indigenous peoples, who have lived in harmony with this land and its natural resources since time immemorial. This work would not be possible without wisdom and knowledge from the federally recognized and unrecognized Native Nations with whom our states of residence share geography.

We are also cognizant that we cannot separate the history of our community from the history of colonialism and slavery in the United States. We acknowledge that this legacy persists today as we continue to work toward racial justice, equity, liberation, and community.

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