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.

Adam Benforado

Dustin Yellin

Charles Jenkins

Poppy Harlow

Anne Thompson

Jay Smooth

Charles Duhigg

Campbell Brown

Peggy Kusinski

Francis Slakey

David Gregory

Barbara Starr

Odette Yousef

Ji Suk Yi

Chuck Salter

Ana Belaval

Ben Johnson

Steve Edwards

Geoff Brigham

Jason Henrichs

Bobby Ghosh

Celeste Headlee

Keisha Howard

Kevin Pang

Laura Washington

Michael Arndt

Meredith Stricker

Katherine Lanpher

Deborah Douglas

Cindy Mori

Bob Morgan

Cheryl Corley

Dave Holmes

Monica Eng

Tricia Eck

Sandee Kastrul

Robin Givhan

Jud Snyder

Eddie Aruzza

Brandis Friedman

Desiree Rogers

Shannon Heffernan

Linda Cohn

Jessica Malkin

Terri Hemmert

Rachel Bronson

Jessica Wohl

Tom Brokaw

Kelly Grier

Melissa Clark

Eric Becker

Anil Dash

Mellody Hobson

Neil Stevenson

Debbie Millman

Touré

Karen Jordan

Jenan Mohajir

Mats Lederhausen

Kate Grossman

Nick Turner

Gigi Pritzker

Carolina Sarassa

Phylicia Rashad

Heidi Stevens

Michal Lev-Ram

Mick Dumke

Val Warner

Jessica Grose

Eve Ewing

Soledad O'Brien

Myra Greene

Ally Love

Felicia Lawrence

Kelly Leonard

Louisa Chu

Ted Fishman

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Kate Sullivan

Andrew Barber

Dan Abrams

Molly Wood

Jon Greenberg

Sonny Garg

Amanda Seales

Linda Lutton

Jessica Clemons

Dorri McWhorter

Jessica Yellin

Paris Schutz

Valerie Lies

Ali Velshi

Brian Babylon

Jane Harman

Jamil Smith

Padma Lakshmi

Anne Munition

Michael Slaby

Bethany McLean

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Bring Your Imagination to Life

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Xavier Ramey Sits Down with Charlamagne Tha God to Talk Black Men & Mental Health

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Howard Schultz on the State of Our Nation

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