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.

Kate Sullivan

Heidi Stevens

Dorri McWhorter

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Anne Munition

Brandis Friedman

Monica Eng

Laura Desmond

Neil Stevenson

Janet Bodnar

Bob Morgan

Felicia Lawrence

Val Warner

Molly Wood

Lola Wright

Soledad O'Brien

Ally Love

Jessica Yellin

Sandee Kastrul

Anil Dash

Jessica Grose

Brian Babylon

Odette Yousef

Jason Henrichs

Jane Harman

Cindy Mori

Ana Belaval

Rachel Bronson

Mick Dumke

Sonny Garg

Deborah Douglas

Jud Snyder

Tom Brokaw

Campbell Brown

Kavita Shukla

Myra Greene

Mellody Hobson

Linda Cohn

Anne Thompson

Jenan Mohajir

Debbie Millman

Jessica Wohl

Barbara Starr

Louisa Chu

Stephanie Gosk

Peggy Kusinski

Meredith Stricker

Kelly Grier

Paris Schutz

Bethany McLean

Katherine Lanpher

Phylicia Rashad

Touré

Ali Velshi

Nick Turner

Jon Greenberg

Laura Washington

Michael Slaby

Gretchen Carlson

Tricia Eck

Chuck Salter

Melissa Clark

Jessica Clemons

Eric Becker

David Brancaccio

Dustin Yellin

Desiree Rogers

Ben Johnson

Lin Brehmer

Jessica Malkin

Shannon Heffernan

Geoff Brigham

Dave Holmes

Maryam Saleh

Jay Smooth

Mark Caro

Eddie Aruzza

Poppy Harlow

Dan Abrams

Robin Givhan

Celeste Headlee

Kate Grossman

Adam Benforado

Jamil Smith

Valerie Lies

Michael Arndt

Amanda Seales

Michal Lev-Ram

Carolina Sarassa

Gigi Pritzker

Karen Jordan

Richard Stengel

Andrew Barber

Carol Coletta

Cheryl Corley

Kelly Rizzo

Kevin Pang

Mats Lederhausen

Linda Lutton

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