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.

Melissa Clark

Gretchen Carlson

Kavita Shukla

Dan Abrams

Brian Babylon

Dave Holmes

Michael Slaby

Karen Jordan

Tricia Eck

Ana Belaval

Ted Fishman

Chuck Salter

Tom Brokaw

Jessica Yellin

Myra Greene

David Brancaccio

Mellody Hobson

Louisa Chu

Robin Givhan

Cindy Mori

Dustin Yellin

Linda Cohn

Mark Caro

Michal Lev-Ram

Janet Bodnar

Andee Harris

Gigi Pritzker

Jay Smooth

Molly Wood

Jason Henrichs

Lin Brehmer

Kate Grossman

Meredith Stricker

Phylicia Rashad

Soledad O'Brien

Rachel Bronson

Carol Coletta

Laura Washington

Anne Munition

Katherine Lanpher

Desiree Rogers

Jenan Mohajir

Brandis Friedman

Francis Slakey

Jane Harman

Adam Benforado

Anne Thompson

Jessica Grose

Amanda Seales

Lola Wright

Linda Lutton

Charles Duhigg

Carolina Sarassa

Charles Jenkins

Eric Becker

Kelly Leonard

Jessica Malkin

Michael Arndt

Kelly Rizzo

Kelly Grier

Heidi Stevens

Andrew Barber

Mats Lederhausen

Padma Lakshmi

Val Warner

Touré

Monica Eng

Poppy Harlow

Terri Hemmert

Steve Edwards

Ji Suk Yi

Jon Greenberg

Peggy Kusinski

Odette Yousef

Mick Dumke

David Gregory

Jud Snyder

Bob Morgan

Neil Stevenson

Eddie Aruzza

Felicia Lawrence

Jessica Wohl

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Kevin Pang

Geoff Brigham

Kate Sullivan

Laura Desmond

Richard Stengel

Sonny Garg

Barbara Starr

Ally Love

Eve Ewing

Cheryl Corley

Nick Turner

Bethany McLean

Debbie Millman

Paris Schutz

Anil Dash

Maryam Saleh

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