Illumine was founded by Nancy Larocca Hedley – a Coach, Team Builder, Connector, Earth-Lover, Pathfinder, and Seeker who has been supporting people to unleash their genius and bring their visions into form for over 20 years.
Coach | Team Builder | Connector | Earth-Lover | Pathfinder | Seeker
I am a Coach. I help clients discover their gifts, embrace their passions, and make their unique contribution to the world. I love helping clients achieve their boldest visions and experience joy and meaning through their work, using the journey to learn and grow.
I am a Team Builder. I love creating teams where diversity is celebrated, where inclusion is the norm, and where collaboration thrives.
I am a Connector. I partner with my clients to connect with their inner wisdom, create stronger connections with the people in their lives, and connect to the whole in a way that supports and inspires them.
I am an Earth-Lover. I am honoring the call to serve our planet by taking steps to mitigate the effects of climate change, personally and collectively, and am striving to be a beneficial presence to the land I tend and the beings I share it with.
I am a Pathfinder. I shine light so people can see possibilities in front of them and take the next steps on their path. This is also the inspiration for the name of my business, Illumine, which means to shine light on or spiritually awaken.
I am a Seeker. I have always been drawn to the world’s wisdom traditions, and I am heartened to see more and more evidence pointing to the efficacy of ancient practices which can support us today in living with greater compassion and wisdom, and in harmony with our planet.
The Backstory
Prior to founding my coaching and consulting practice in 2008, I was a Director-level HR Business Partner at Yahoo. I like to say that I “grew up” at Yahoo in the 10 years I was there. It was a fast-paced, rapidly growing and changing organization that grew from 250 employees to over 10,000 from 1997 to 2007.
She wants to see a world where everyone is contributing their unique gifts in service of creating a more beautiful, sustainable, equitable, and inclusive world, and she loves to collaborate with others in making this happen.
During that time I had the opportunity to focus on leadership and employee development, organizational and cultural change, mergers and acquisitions, and talent acquisition. I supported a wide spectrum of the organization: Engineering, IT, Security, User Experience, Design, Editorial, Product Development, Sales and Sales Ops, Legal, Finance, and Community Operations. It was an extraordinary experience filled with talented and committed people, many of whom are dear friends today.
The Transition Begins
April 2006 kicked off a period of introspection and transition with the birth of our daughter. If that wasn’t life-changing enough, over the next nine months my husband and I both had brushes with cancer. While we are both fine now, these pivotal moments made me realize that my life’s energy was precious. Too precious to spend on activities that weren’t important or meaningful to me. As I neared my 10-year anniversary with Yahoo, I knew it was time for the next chapter of my career and life.
The Plunge
Leaving the security of a corporate career felt incredibly risky. Supported by close friends and family, I took the plunge to find my passions and talents in a new career – one that would allow more flexibility to enjoy my young daughter. This exploration led me to coaching.
I completed my initial training at the Academy for Coaching Excellence, and currently hold the Professional Certified Coach credential through the International Coaching Federation. Further education has focused on helping teams be more effective, including programs on Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching with CRR Global, Organizational Development with the Center for Human Systems, and studying the Enneagram with The Narrative Enneagram and Enneagram In Business. I am currently studying for my Master Certified Coach designation with long-time Master Certified Coach, Fran Fisher.
“I came to Nancy for coaching after the death of a loved one. She helped me (and my small business) emerge from the fog with purpose and in a positive direction. She helped me navigate a myriad of emotions and facilitated my definition of how I want my future to look. In particular, how my work and personal life interconnect moving forward. I am so grateful for her emotional and spiritual guidance, encouragement, as well as the practical frameworks with which I’ve made real change happen. Nancy has so many “tools” in her “toolbox” - I can’t imagine anyone not benefiting from her coaching!”
Today
I work with leaders and teams at organizations across Silicon Valley and beyond, and entrepreneurs and career-changers branching out to pursue a lifelong dream. I love helping people understand their strengths and personality structure through various systems including the Enneagram, CliftonStrengths, and Myers-Briggs. I am a certified practitioner of Crucial Conversations, MBTI, and The Energy Project, and I regularly lead workshops on these topics and others including Managing Unconscious Bias and Giving & Receiving Feedback. I became a yoga teacher in 2020 and regularly weave in mindfulness and somatic-based approaches into my work with leaders and teams.
On a more personal note, my daughter is in high school and will be heading off to college soon, which makes every day with her even more precious. My husband and I parted ways during the pandemic, but remain friends and committed co-parents. I’ve discovered that times of transition are potent opportunities for awakening, particularly when I’ve had the courage to listen to, and act on, my inner wisdom. Navigating the journey back to my own heart has been both challenging and rewarding, and I’m grateful for every experience life has served up for me to learn from.
