What We Deliver

We empower today’s fast-moving executive teams by bringing clarity and certainty to complex decisions. Illuminate helps university leaders anchor their future in aligned priorities and the institutional capabilities required to deliver their vision.

  • Entity-Centric Architecture Design

    Move from fragmented systems to a unified model of people, roles, and relationships.

  • Canonical Person Registry Design

    Establish a time-aware, role-aware source of truth for all institutional identities.

  • Role-Based IAM Strategy

    Enable accurate, lifecycle-based access using person data — not just system roles.

  • Contract-Centric Data Integration

    Replace point-to-point pain with reusable APIs, CDC pipelines, and shared contracts.

  • Strategic Alignment & Governance Advisory

    Align campus and IT leadership with transparent, executable roadmaps.

Photo of Chris Coyle

Who We Are

Chris Coyle started Illuminate to help universities act faster — with clearer priorities and better coordination.

He brings over 30 years of experience in technology, strategy, and consulting. Before founding Illuminate, he worked with some of the world’s most innovative tech pioneers, including webMethods, Salesforce, and Dell Technologies.

Today, he works exclusively with university CIOs and executive teams navigating complexity and change. Leadership deserves insight they can trust — not just more information.

Read My Full Story + Why I Am Launching “Disruption Doesn’t Wait”

Guiding Principles

“Start small. Think big. Move fast.”

– Amazon Innovation Principle

“You can't change what you can't measure.”

– Peter Drucker

The Full Story

I started my career in the Air Force—with ambitions of becoming a pilot. But I wasn’t a great aviator. And in that world, "almost good enough" isn’t good enough.

That setback forced me to act—before I had all the answers. I had to reimagine what I was capable of and pivot into something new. I chose technology.

Over time, I built a career helping organizations navigate complexity through innovation, strategy, and systems thinking. I worked with some of the most forward-looking companies in the world. I saw firsthand how action—even small, early action—creates momentum, insight, and resilience.

What I learned through that transition is this: resilience isn’t something you discover after disruption—it’s built in motion. It comes from moving with clarity and intention, especially when the path forward isn’t well-lit.

Coming Soon: “Disruption Doesn’t Wait”

I’m working on something new. It's for institutions that are considering digital transformation—but haven’t made the leap yet. Not because they don’t see the need, but because the path isn’t always clear.

“Disruption Doesn’t Wait” is a campaign about how to act with clarity, build resilience, and move before you’re forced to.

It’s not live yet—but it’s coming soon. And if you’re facing tough questions about how your institution adapts, I’d love to share it with you first.

Let’s talk about building innovation resilience in your organization.