It takes a committed team to coordinate and manage all aspects of financial health and well-being. We possess a deep-rooted passion for maintaining our core relationships with clients and helping them manage the primary resources and connections that inform their lives and futures.
We are committed to doing what’s best for our clients. We are always looking out for you.
We champion a rich and well-rounded life. Stability in financial life is the foundation of meaningful growth.
We are deeply aware of how our emotions shape financial decisions. We use this understanding to ensure decisions are made with confidence and reflect your values
We provide guidance that is on time and on point. Details matter as the little things make big things happen.
Service, Strategy, Results: Because there is no other way.
Matt transformed his childhood passion for the stock market into his life work and purpose. He graduated with a degree in Finance, Investment & Banking from the University of Wisconsin – Madison School of Business. Following college in 2003, he worked in a training program for Kellogg Capital Group. By the end of 2006, he served as a Senior Analyst for an investment fund, managing a team of five. During the 2008 recession, Matt received calls from friend and family requesting financial guidance. As financial markets melted down, Matt decided it was time to help people plan their financial strategies and to directly lift their financial spirits. In 2009 he founded his own firm, Illumination Wealth Management, with a simple mission – to empower people with financial clarity so they can build their wealth and live their best financial life.
Norman joined Illumination in 2015 as a Financial Planner, bringing with him a diverse array of financial experiences and background expertise. He previously worked as a CPA in a public accounting firm, as a manager of corporate income taxes at BellSouth, and as the leader of the financial operations team at CareerBuilder. Norman earned his master’s degree from the University of Georgia where he specialized in tax. He cultivated his interest in investing during college and made personal finance a key focus of his career. Norman moved to San Diego from Chicago in 2014 with his husband Matt and enjoys traveling, technology, photography, and cooking.
Ben joined Illumination in 2014 as an investment advisor, bringing more than 40 years of investment experience with him. Ben’s successful investment career has spanned many different market environments. Prior to joining Illumination, he served as a Senior Fixed Income Portfolio Manager, advising on over $6 billion of fixed income assets at Voyageur Asset Management and Piper Capital Management. While at Piper, Ben started and managed the number one ranked Lipper Government Bond Mutual Fund. He was CEO and board member of a recently acquired investment advisory firm, and is currently on the board and treasurer of a successful, privately held manufacturing company. In addition, Ben has appeared on CNBC and frequently appeared on Minnesota Public Radio’s “Sound Money.” For many years he regularly broadcasted market commentary on WCCO radio and has been featured in Fortune, Barron’s, Chicago Tribune, Minneapolis Star Tribune and other publications.
John passionately believes in the propitious power of financial planning. He thrives on helping others master their finances, knowing the power this confers to meaningfully enrich their lives. And he particularly enjoys working with the more advanced challenges of planning for busy professionals, business people, and entrepreneurs. John is a Certified Financial Planner® who originally came to planning from a prior career in high-tech management and entrepreneurship. His prior positions include, co-founding a successful startup as Vice President of Engineering at PicoPower Technology, and leading multiple design teams as Director of Engineering at National Semiconductor. John also holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University, and a Master’s in International Management from Thunderbird Graduate School. Beyond the office, John is an avid health and fitness buff. So far, he has tackled the Ironman Triathlon (Kona, Hawaii), the Boston Marathon, and the Pikes Peak Marathon. While above all, John enjoys spending quality time with his delightful partner and four fabulous children.
Jacob joined Illumination in 2021 as a Financial Planner. What started as a passion for his own personal financial life turned into a career where he gets to help others with theirs. He graduated with a degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and has a wide array of financial planning experience. He started his career in a developmental program for Wells Fargo Bank, and then honed his financial planning skills while working for a financial planning firm in Granger, IN. Jacob moved from Indiana to Colorado in 2020 with his wife, Heather, and their two golden doodles, Wrigley and Bailey, and enjoys running, traveling, and doing anything in the mountains
Sara joined Illumination in 2022 as a Financial Planner. She graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Finance and began her career working for an investment bank in their energy markets division. Sara decided to make the switch to personal finance due to her desire to work more closely with clients and help them achieve their personal goals. She earned her Certified Financial Planner ™ designation in 2017. Sara lives in Houston, TX with her wife and their three dogs. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors playing golf or cheering on her favorite sports teams at her neighborhood brewery.
Jenna joined Illumination in 2021 as a Financial Planning Assistant. She began her career in financial services in 2017 as a receptionist to strengthen her own financial education and followed her interest deeper into the industry, becoming a registered investment advisor in 2021. She has found financial planning to be an incredibly rewarding career path. Jenna obtained her bachelor’s degree from Hartwick College in Oneonta, NY, and her next goal is to complete the Masters of Accountancy Taxation program at Boise State University. Jenna relocated to Boise, ID from Seattle, WA in 2020 with her husband Justin and dog XL, and enjoys hiking, biking, and gardening.
Christopher joined Illumination Wealth in 2022 as an Associate Financial Planner. He began his work in financial services working for a Business Management firm in Nashville, TN, working with high-net-worth musicians and touring acts. He quickly discovered a passion for financial planning and joined Illumination Wealth to spend more time doing what he loves, helping people organize their financial life. He has a degree from Middle Tennessee State University with a degree in Music Business and a minor in Accounting. Christopher lives in Nashville, TN with his partner Jamie and their dog, Moxie. When not in the office, Christopher enjoys playing rugby, long hikes, and playing board games with friends.
Danielle joined Illumination Wealth in 2020 as our Client Service Concierge. Heeding the advice of her grandfather who taught her the value of investing, she embarked on a career in the financial advisory industry in 2014. For the past six years she managed the operations of a growing wealth management firm in Del Mar, California. Danielle is currently studying to become a registered investment advisor and looks forward to advancing her career in financial planning. She is a Connecticut native and graduate of the University of Connecticut (Go Huskies!). In her time outside of the office, Danielle enjoys camping, yoga and sailing.
Stephanie joined Illumination Wealth in January 2022 as a Client Service Associate. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Texas State University, she elected to enter the insurance and finance world by joining a general agency based out of Overland Park, KS. Being the Texas native she is, she returned home shortly after and has since gained knowledge and experience over the last five years supporting two private wealth managers. Stephanie is passionate about client service and dedicated to help support financial advisors and their clients through all areas of life. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband Ben, daughter Brooklyn and dog Heisenberg in their city of Houston. She also loves going to the beach in Galveston, TX, floating the river and playing board games.
Barbara joined Illumination in 2021 as a Senior Bookkeeper. In addition to being a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and having established her own small-business bookkeeping practice, she brings with her a wide ranging business background in Project Management, Sales and Account Management across a variety of industries. Her experiences fueled her interest in helping small business owners better manage their financial accounts so they could in-turn grow their businesses. She earned her bachelors at the University of California, Davis. Outside the office Barbara enjoys learning the piano, gardening, making kombucha, and spending time with her family.
Hannah joined Illumination Wealth in 2022 as a Full Charge Bookkeeper. A Certified QuickBooks Online ProAdvisor, she possesses a diverse array of business bookkeeping experience across a variety of industries, including NFPs, e-commerce, professional services, and real estate. As the former Head of Finance for a NYC-based 501(c) non-profit, she has firsthand experience working with an independent bookkeeping service as a client, and Hannah leverages this understanding of the client experience to ensure a best-in-class engagement for clients. Hannah holds a BFA from Ohio University and is an avid film and literary fiction buff.
Onyx is Illumination Wealth’s Financial Therapy Dog. Onyx was born during the Great Recession on a farm in South Dakota. He migrated out west and has been at Matt’s feet since the inception of Illumination Wealth. Onyx is a source of unconditional love and positivity for the entire Illumination Wealth community no matter the ups or downs.