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.

Dan Abrams

Kelly Leonard

Jenan Mohajir

Peggy Kusinski

Brandis Friedman

Dustin Yellin

Jamil Smith

Kate Grossman

Jessica Clemons

Linda Cohn

Kate Sullivan

Ben Johnson

Debbie Millman

Jay Smooth

Stephanie Gosk

Charles Jenkins

Paris Schutz

Cindy Mori

Amanda Seales

Sonny Garg

Dave Holmes

Celeste Headlee

Sandee Kastrul

Shannon Heffernan

Cheryl Corley

Francis Slakey

Andee Harris

Ally Love

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Katherine Lanpher

Dorri McWhorter

Tom Brokaw

Soledad O'Brien

Linda Lutton

Campbell Brown

Rachel Bronson

Meredith Stricker

Eddie Aruzza

Molly Wood

Barbara Starr

Steve Edwards

Michael Slaby

Monica Eng

Kelly Grier

Anne Munition

Anne Thompson

Tricia Eck

Poppy Harlow

Jessica Malkin

Ted Fishman

Jessica Wohl

David Brancaccio

Neil Stevenson

Jessica Grose

Jason Henrichs

Carolina Sarassa

Jessica Yellin

Mats Lederhausen

Terri Hemmert

Odette Yousef

Lola Wright

Mick Dumke

Charles Duhigg

Phylicia Rashad

Carol Coletta

Adam Benforado

Felicia Lawrence

Valerie Lies

Nick Turner

Ji Suk Yi

Bobby Ghosh

Val Warner

Louisa Chu

Gretchen Carlson

Mellody Hobson

Ali Velshi

Janet Bodnar

Karen Jordan

Laura Desmond

Bob Morgan

Deborah Douglas

Jon Greenberg

Robin Givhan

Padma Lakshmi

Anil Dash

Mark Caro

Brian Babylon

Maryam Saleh

Jane Harman

Michael Arndt

Keisha Howard

Jud Snyder

Laura Washington

Geoff Brigham

David Gregory

Myra Greene

Ana Belaval

Eve Ewing

Kavita Shukla

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