Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief

When audiences of every background have the same access to thought leaders and innovative ideas – people have the power to spark change in the world.

Who are our thought leaders? We thought you'd never ask.

Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair

Luis Ahn

Fawzia Mirza

Ramesh Srinivasan

Margaret Gould Stewart

Tim Ferriss

Shradha Agarwal

Bashir Salahuddin

Radha Agrawal

Edward Norton

Nick Kokonas

Massimo Lepore

Shannon Watts

Colin Powell

Shane Battier

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot

Dick Costolo

LeVar Burton

Charlamagne Tha God

Jose Antonio Vargas

Janet Comenos

Jamie Metzl

Brandon Boyd

Hillary Sale

Francoise Baylis

Emily Bear

Rahm Emanuel

Helene Gayle

Cedric Alexander

Bing Gordon

Ayana Elizabeth Johnson PhD

Liz Phair

Brian Wallach

Yusef Salaam

David Lynch

Cameron Esposito

Alec Baldwin

Bryan Cranston

Questlove

S.E. Cupp

Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief:

Chicago Ideas is a nonprofit platform built on one core belief

When audiences of every background have the same access to thought leaders and innovative ideas – people have the power to spark change in the world.

About the Organization

About the People

Who are our thought leaders? We thought you’d never ask.

Tom Brokaw

Keisha Howard

Jud Snyder

Kelly Leonard

Andrew Barber

Peggy Kusinski

Michal Lev-Ram

Amanda Seales

Linda Cohn

Mellody Hobson

Val Warner

Soledad O'Brien

Carolina Sarassa

Geoff Brigham

Cindy Mori

Carol Coletta

Adam Benforado

Anne Thompson

Paris Schutz

Dan Abrams

Campbell Brown

Jamil Smith

Neil Stevenson

Brandis Friedman

Meredith Stricker

Jessica Clemons

Mats Lederhausen

David Brancaccio

Jason Henrichs

Mick Dumke

Stephanie Gosk

Shannon Heffernan

Michael Slaby

Michael Arndt

Steve Edwards

Janet Bodnar

Lola Wright

Anne Munition

Jessica Wohl

Phylicia Rashad

Cheryl Corley

Robin Givhan

Mark Caro

Tricia Eck

Jenan Mohajir

Anil Dash

Maryam Saleh

Ji Suk Yi

Eddie Aruzza

Laura Washington

Sonny Garg

Kate Grossman

Molly Wood

Ally Love

Kelly Grier

Barbara Starr

Lin Brehmer

Padma Lakshmi

Dustin Yellin

Deborah Douglas

Jessica Grose

Jessica Yellin

Kate Sullivan

David Gregory

Katherine Lanpher

Gigi Pritzker

Linda Lutton

Heidi Stevens

Bobby Ghosh

Francis Slakey

Richard Stengel

Andee Harris

Dave Holmes

Eve Ewing

Kavita Shukla

Ali Velshi

Eric Becker

Celeste Headlee

Dorri McWhorter

Ben Johnson

Ana Belaval

Nick Turner

Chuck Salter

Jessica Malkin

Jane Harman

Rachel Bronson

Laura Desmond

Jon Greenberg

Odette Yousef

Louisa Chu

Karen Jordan

Debbie Millman

Kevin Pang

Bob Morgan

Brian Babylon

Touré

Monica Eng

Gretchen Carlson

Jay Smooth

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Focuses on Finding Solutions for Ocean Conservation

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Xavier Ramey Sits Down with Charlamagne Tha God to Talk Black Men & Mental Health

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Howard Schultz on His Potential 2020 Run

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Howard Schultz on the State of Our Nation

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