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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:

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.

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
Cal Fussman
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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