“You don’t drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there.”

— Edwin Louis Cole

About Principia

Principia, LLC (prin-ˈki-pē-a) is a management consulting firm located in Detroit, Michigan working to link America’s economic recovery to the use of cutting-edge technology that combats issues of environmental crises and the training of bright, resilient, and creative communities of color to become the next generation of technologists in support of these sectors. We work with senior leaders who understand the role change plays in successful enterprises; the societal impact of clean, sustainable choices; and the benefit of seasoned and unbiased professional counsel

Principia derives its name from a Latin word that translates as “first principles”. As such, the following standards are key to implementing useful solutions for its clients.

Principia values those with the courage to do what’s right, no matter personal consequences.

Principia believes that workable solutions only come from true leadership traits including:

Trust                                                   Empowerment                      Compassion             

Integrity                                              Courage                                Forgiveness             

Patience, with a bias for action       Personal responsibility to do what’s right

Vision: Principia strives to be the national standard for fair and ethical client engagement.

Mission: Principia provides strategic advice that links an organization’s well-being to competitive advantage, the “clean economy” and a talented but underserved urban workforce.

Principia Service areas

Strategic advice and counsel to:

Make smart, clean, sustainable choices for “power, products, process”

Improve processes critical to institutional progress

Planning expertise, experience and temperament to help leaders:

Driving organizational change in resource-starved settings

Working confidently through critical but painful personnel changes

Community outreach know-how to:

Connect clients w/leaders at local/state/federal level to advance critical agendas

Build key linkages that foster trust and strengthen support

Bottom line: If you are interested in driving marked improvement in your team’s ability to address your particular challenges, please call (313) 909.3034.

Principia’s CEO

Keith’s previous climate policy work on the damaging effects of burning coal and corn ethanol’s link to harmful algal blooms, led Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer to name him to the State’s Advisory Council on Environmental Justice.

Equally comfortable working with clients across the political spectrum, Keith served as a cabinet member to Michigan’s Governor Jennifer Granholm, advised (then French Presidential candidate) François Hollande on future energy trends and hosted Vice President Biden’s announcement of a $1.3 billion award to Michigan for vehicle electrification. Named a national public opinion leader by the Bush Administration in 2006, he was chosen to visit U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East, touring and observing the day-to-day operations of active military installations.

Keith’s professional activities and affiliations include service with The Michigan Consumer Utility Board; Institute for Energy Innovation; the Michigan Environmental Council and the Public School Academies of Detroit.

He has been recognized by Who’s Who in the World, named a Tau Beta Pi Eminent Engineer, and received the Apollo Alliance (now BlueGreen Alliance) “Right Stuff” Award for work that exemplifies the organization’s clean energy, good jobs mission.

Cooley received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Physics and a Master of Science degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Contact Us

For more information on Principia, LLC please feel free to contact me at: 

Phone: (313) 909.3034 or

Email: keith@principiallc.com