About the People

The people behind Chicago Ideas, from staff to the Brain Trust to volunteers, come from a massive range of backgrounds to contribute to our mission of accessibility and ideas for everyone.

Co-chairs

Brad Keywell

Founder & Chairman, Chicago Ideas and Founder & CEO, Uptake

Mayor Lori Lightfoot

Co-Chairperson, Chicago Ideas; 56th Mayor of the City of Chicago

Brain Trust

Joe Shanahan

Founder and Owner, Metro Chicago/Smartbar/GMan Tavern

Sona Gajiwala Jones

Strategic Advisor

Xavier Ramey

Founder & CEO, Justice Informed

Mel Safford

Founder, Body Worship Workout; Sr. Director, Programming & Experience at WW

Jay Porter

CEO, Revere

Jamil Smith

Senior Writer, Rolling Stone

Bob Teitel

Partner, State Street Pictures

Matthew Summy

Regional Vice President, External Affairs, Comcast

David Burstein

Founder, Run for America & Generation18

Heidi Mitchell

Writer

Holly Copeland

Senior Director, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability & Impact, Horizon Therapeutics

Harriet Seitler

CMO, OWN

Brooke Skinner Ricketts

CMO, cars.com

Eric Williams

Founder & Creative Director, The Silver Room

Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair

DJ, Producer & Music Director, W Hotels

Meredith Stricker

Executive Director, The Soufan Center

Orrin Murray

Director of Technology and R&D, UChicago Impact

Lola Wright

Spiritual Director

Andrew Barber

Creator & Owner, Fake Shore Drive

Moran Cerf

Professor, Neuroscience & Business, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University

Jacolyn Bucksbaum

Co-Founder, The Focus Foundation

Adam Waytz

Professor, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University

Jenna Kostelnik Utley

Executive Producer, The Oprah Winfrey Network

Lester Coney

Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman, Mesirow Financial

Leslie Bluhm

Co-Founder, Chicago Cares

Wendy Abrams

Founder, Cool Globes, Inc.

Kim Keywell

Director, Keywell Foundation

Susan Crown

Chairman & Founder, Susan Crown Exchange (SCE), Chairman & CEO, Owl Creek Partners

Sonya Jackson

Founder & Principal, Mantra for Good

Israel Idonije

Athlete & Entrepreneur