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.

Anil Dash

Kelly Rizzo

Brandis Friedman

Amanda Seales

Cheryl Corley

Lin Brehmer

Sandee Kastrul

Karen Jordan

Tricia Eck

Rachel Bronson

Mellody Hobson

Jessica Wohl

Kelly Leonard

Desiree Rogers

Kelly Grier

David Brancaccio

Robin Givhan

Paris Schutz

Mick Dumke

Heidi Stevens

Gigi Pritzker

Felicia Lawrence

Terri Hemmert

Tom Brokaw

Kavita Shukla

Francis Slakey

Janet Bodnar

Michael Arndt

Deborah Douglas

Linda Cohn

Odette Yousef

Barbara Starr

Ben Johnson

Jane Harman

Dorri McWhorter

Jamil Smith

Jay Smooth

Bob Morgan

Maryam Saleh

Padma Lakshmi

Jason Henrichs

Andrew Barber

Eddie Aruzza

Gretchen Carlson

Mark Caro

Jessica Grose

Jessica Yellin

Jud Snyder

Eric Becker

Phylicia Rashad

Jon Greenberg

Touré

Ali Velshi

Charles Jenkins

Jessica Clemons

Debbie Millman

Monica Eng

Adam Benforado

Valerie Lies

Richard Stengel

Keisha Howard

Kate Sullivan

Meredith Stricker

Ally Love

Jenan Mohajir

Andee Harris

Myra Greene

Mats Lederhausen

Ted Fishman

Poppy Harlow

Stephanie Gosk

Kevin Pang

Soledad O'Brien

Shannon Heffernan

Geoff Brigham

Ji Suk Yi

Jessica Malkin

Celeste Headlee

Peggy Kusinski

Laura Desmond

Michal Lev-Ram

Steve Edwards

Bethany McLean

Cindy Mori

Nick Turner

Melissa Clark

Carolina Sarassa

Brian Babylon

Linda Lutton

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Dan Abrams

Lola Wright

Charles Duhigg

Ana Belaval

Carol Coletta

Anne Thompson

Louisa Chu

Michael Slaby

Laura Washington

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