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.

Karen Jordan

Heidi Stevens

Desiree Rogers

Anne Thompson

Jamil Smith

Amanda Seales

Charles Duhigg

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Jon Greenberg

Tricia Eck

Francis Slakey

Myra Greene

Jason Henrichs

Meredith Stricker

Eric Becker

Jessica Yellin

Mick Dumke

Barbara Starr

Molly Wood

Kavita Shukla

Odette Yousef

Sandee Kastrul

Debbie Millman

Gretchen Carlson

Brian Babylon

Lin Brehmer

Geoff Brigham

Padma Lakshmi

Sonny Garg

Chuck Salter

Anne Munition

Linda Lutton

Touré

Ji Suk Yi

Campbell Brown

Andrew Barber

Shannon Heffernan

Bob Morgan

Steve Edwards

Soledad O'Brien

Robin Givhan

Stephanie Gosk

Andee Harris

Cheryl Corley

Poppy Harlow

Lola Wright

Terri Hemmert

Bobby Ghosh

Eve Ewing

Dustin Yellin

Melissa Clark

Michael Arndt

Bethany McLean

Kelly Grier

Charles Jenkins

Mark Caro

Jessica Grose

Kelly Rizzo

Mellody Hobson

Paris Schutz

Jessica Malkin

Felicia Lawrence

Dan Abrams

Neil Stevenson

Brandis Friedman

Michael Slaby

Ally Love

Jud Snyder

Cindy Mori

Ted Fishman

Ali Velshi

Jane Harman

Kate Sullivan

Janet Bodnar

Val Warner

Laura Desmond

Rachel Bronson

Richard Stengel

Keisha Howard

Jenan Mohajir

Adam Benforado

Maryam Saleh

Katherine Lanpher

Anil Dash

Michal Lev-Ram

Phylicia Rashad

David Brancaccio

Dorri McWhorter

Nick Turner

Mats Lederhausen

Louisa Chu

Peggy Kusinski

Valerie Lies

Kelly Leonard

Dave Holmes

Laura Washington

Tom Brokaw

Jessica Clemons

Carolina Sarassa

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