get ready for
A lending team that’s focused on you.
At Luminate Bank, we’re redefining the home loan industry by ditching the old bad habits and bringing together a team with decades of experience. Our mission? To align with your vision and help you unlock your full potential through smarter finances.
>> Our Team
We believe lending should be easy to understand and approachable. With transparency and consistency at the heart of everything we do, we’re here to make sure every step is clear and every decision is made in your best interest.
Our goal is to keep you informed, engaged, and confident at every turn—so, let us introduce you to the staff who make it all happen!
Michelle Michael
Mortgage Loan Originator | NMLS# 1315483
For Michelle Michael, helping people become homeowners is more than just finding them a mortgage. She takes the time to understand the person behind the application, explain their options clearly, and find a path forward that makes sense for their goals.
Michelle began her career in the mortgage industry in 2015 as a Loan Officer Assistant, which gave her a firsthand look at the homebuying and lending process and sparked her interest in helping borrowers navigate what can sometimes feel like a complicated journey.
Her career later took her into the legal field, where she earned an associate in applied sciences degree and worked as a paralegal at a law firm with a strong concentration in real estate law.
When Michelle returned to the mortgage industry in 2021, she brought both sides of those experiences with her. Today, she helps homebuyers throughout Central Illinois understand their mortgage options and take the next step toward homeownership.
Michelle has a particular passion for working with first-time homebuyers, but her broader expertise includes government-backed loan programs, mortgage assistance, and grant programs such as IHDA, FHLB, and Mortgage Credit Certificate (MCC) programs. She also enjoys working with experienced homebuyers who are ready for their next move.
Michelle primarily serves homebuyers throughout Illinois, including Tazewell, Peoria, Woodford, Logan and Sangamon counties and communities such as Peoria, Pekin, East Peoria, Morton, Tremont, Creve Coeur and Galesburg.
Her approach to lending is rooted in the belief that homeownership should feel achievable, not intimidating. Whether someone is purchasing their first home, exploring available assistance programs or trying to determine which mortgage option best fits their needs, Michelle takes the time to understand their situation and help them make informed decisions.
One piece of advice has stayed with Michelle throughout her career: “If opportunities don’t come your way, create them.” She believes we all have a role in shaping our own future, and that philosophy carries into the way she works with her clients.
Outside of work, Michelle is a wife and mom to two boys. She enjoys spending time with her family, painting, playing cornhole and creating projects with her Cricut. Family is especially important to Michelle, and if she could spend her time doing anything without financial limitations, she would travel with her husband and sons and enjoy making memories together.
Michelle also gives her time to The Baby Fold, an organization that is personally meaningful to her family. She volunteers each year for the organization's Festival of Trees fundraiser and is grateful for the support The Baby Fold has provided to her oldest son.
Whether you are buying your first home or preparing for your next move, Michelle Michael is here to help you understand your options and make the mortgage process feel a little more manageable. Her combination of mortgage lending experience, real estate legal knowledge, and genuine commitment to her clients gives homebuyers a knowledgeable partner from application through closing.
