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.

Lin Brehmer

Linda Cohn

Bethany McLean

Poppy Harlow

Sonny Garg

Desiree Rogers

Monica Eng

Karen Jordan

Ben Johnson

Kevin Pang

Peggy Kusinski

Paris Schutz

Jessica Malkin

Cindy Mori

Anne Munition

Ana Belaval

Dorri McWhorter

Eve Ewing

Neil Stevenson

Steve Edwards

Andrew Barber

Val Warner

Jay Smooth

Lola Wright

Soledad O'Brien

Anne Thompson

Charles Jenkins

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Andee Harris

Kate Grossman

Ted Fishman

Jon Greenberg

Dave Holmes

Padma Lakshmi

Jessica Wohl

Maryam Saleh

Dustin Yellin

Kelly Grier

Kelly Rizzo

Jane Harman

Geoff Brigham

Michal Lev-Ram

Melissa Clark

Jenan Mohajir

Eddie Aruzza

Dan Abrams

Nick Turner

Mark Caro

Brandis Friedman

Debbie Millman

Terri Hemmert

Ji Suk Yi

Gigi Pritzker

Rachel Bronson

Cheryl Corley

Mats Lederhausen

Jessica Clemons

Valerie Lies

Keisha Howard

Michael Slaby

Touré

Mick Dumke

Barbara Starr

Tricia Eck

Kelly Leonard

Carolina Sarassa

Laura Washington

Bob Morgan

Louisa Chu

Kate Sullivan

Mellody Hobson

Katherine Lanpher

Michael Arndt

Ali Velshi

Tom Brokaw

Odette Yousef

Deborah Douglas

Charles Duhigg

Meredith Stricker

Phylicia Rashad

Laura Desmond

David Gregory

Adam Benforado

Jessica Yellin

Jessica Grose

Janet Bodnar

Linda Lutton

Molly Wood

Eric Becker

Heidi Stevens

Celeste Headlee

Chuck Salter

Gretchen Carlson

Richard Stengel

Robin Givhan

Jamil Smith

Anil Dash

Jason Henrichs

Ally Love

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