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.

Meredith Stricker

Dave Holmes

Andrew Barber

Katherine Lanpher

Anne Thompson

Robin Givhan

Ana Belaval

Maryam Saleh

Bob Morgan

Geoff Brigham

Dorri McWhorter

Kelly Grier

Anne Munition

Kate Sullivan

Gigi Pritzker

Jessica Wohl

Deborah Douglas

Cindy Mori

Eve Ewing

Mark Caro

Keisha Howard

Melissa Clark

Karen Jordan

Eric Becker

Charles Jenkins

Rachel Bronson

Peggy Kusinski

Amanda Seales

Michael Slaby

Andee Harris

David Brancaccio

Jessica Clemons

Tricia Eck

Janet Bodnar

Eddie Aruzza

Louisa Chu

Campbell Brown

Bobby Ghosh

Felicia Lawrence

Jason Henrichs

Jay Smooth

Charles Duhigg

Jessica Yellin

Terri Hemmert

Cheryl Corley

Jane Harman

Kate Grossman

Laura Desmond

Nick Turner

Molly Wood

Sandee Kastrul

Poppy Harlow

Bethany McLean

Jud Snyder

Ally Love

Odette Yousef

Steve Edwards

Kelly Rizzo

Brandis Friedman

Brian Babylon

Dustin Yellin

Ji Suk Yi

Desiree Rogers

Michal Lev-Ram

Paris Schutz

Ali Velshi

Richard Stengel

Sonny Garg

Mats Lederhausen

Jenan Mohajir

Linda Lutton

Kevin Pang

Phylicia Rashad

Francis Slakey

Carol Coletta

Soledad O'Brien

Jessica Malkin

Stephanie Gosk

Touré

David Gregory

Tom Brokaw

Jessica Grose

Barbara Starr

Mick Dumke

Gretchen Carlson

Linda Cohn

Chuck Salter

Adam Benforado

Shannon Heffernan

Jamil Smith

Ben Johnson

Laura Washington

Valerie Lies

Lin Brehmer

Val Warner

Monica Eng

Ted Fishman

Celeste Headlee

Kelly Leonard

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