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.

Valerie Lies

Jessica Wohl

Kate Grossman

Brian Babylon

Terri Hemmert

Neil Stevenson

Campbell Brown

Gigi Pritzker

Keisha Howard

Padma Lakshmi

Janet Bodnar

Ji Suk Yi

Soledad O'Brien

Peggy Kusinski

Val Warner

Anne Thompson

Jay Smooth

Jason Henrichs

Odette Yousef

Linda Cohn

Stephanie Gosk

Bethany McLean

Charles Duhigg

Eve Ewing

Kelly Rizzo

Richard Stengel

Barbara Starr

Laura Desmond

Molly Wood

Poppy Harlow

Cindy Mori

Jessica Clemons

Tricia Eck

Myra Greene

Tom Brokaw

Geoff Brigham

Francis Slakey

Nick Turner

Ted Fishman

Jane Harman

Charles Jenkins

Paris Schutz

Chuck Salter

Celeste Headlee

Andrew Barber

Ali Velshi

Dustin Yellin

Jon Greenberg

Katherine Lanpher

Kevin Pang

Gretchen Carlson

Eddie Aruzza

Kelly Grier

Sonny Garg

Kate Sullivan

Adam Benforado

Robin Givhan

Sandee Kastrul

Louisa Chu

Eric Becker

Meredith Stricker

Cheryl Corley

Mellody Hobson

Michael Slaby

Debbie Millman

Rachel Bronson

Ana Belaval

Anne Munition

Deborah Douglas

Bob Morgan

Ally Love

Steve Edwards

Bobby Ghosh

Lin Brehmer

Mark Caro

Jessica Malkin

Dorri McWhorter

David Gregory

Amanda Seales

Jessica Grose

Kelly Leonard

Phylicia Rashad

Mick Dumke

David Brancaccio

Anil Dash

Shannon Heffernan

Brandis Friedman

Carol Coletta

Touré

Michal Lev-Ram

Monica Eng

Jud Snyder

Kavita Shukla

Andee Harris

Linda Lutton

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Dan Abrams

Lola Wright

Jessica Yellin

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Bring Your Imagination to Life

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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 the State of Our Nation

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