Meet the people behind our Community of Curiosity
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.
Chicago Ideas Team
The Chicago Ideas team focuses on producing world-class events, video and written content, and community outreach aimed at inspiring connection and action around big ideas.
Brad Keywell
Founder & Co-Chairman
Mayor Emanuel
Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas; Mayor, City of Chicago
Laura Desmond
Co-Chairperson, Chicago Ideas; Principal & Founder, Eagle Vista Partners
Eric Becker
Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas
Jessica Malkin
CEO, Chicago Ideas
Carrie Kennedy
Executive Producer & Creative Director
Sona Jones
Director of Brand Strategy & Operations
Gabrielle Zuckerman
Director of Programming
Mel Safford
Director of Booking & The Co-op
Amanda Salhoot
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Ivy Tzur
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Bonnie Shifrin
Director of Membership
Lindsay Knight
Director, Chicago Ideas YOU(th)
Anthony Conway
Programming Manager
Cristina Pineda
Labs Coordinator
Nikki Nemerovski
Strategic Partnerships Coordinator
Claire Lacy
Senior Designer, Chicago Ideas
Melissa Jesser
Membership Associate
Ross Peabody
Ticketing Director & Technology Manager
Mary McDonnell
Producer
Denise Notz
Print Production & Media Manager
Tom Packard
Director of Event Operations
Isaac Israilevich
Director of Volunteers
Rachel Graham
Senior Advisor, Chicago Ideas Youth
Julia Dilday
Project Manager for the Bluhm/Helfand Social Innovation Fellowship
Board of Directors
Brad Keywell
Founder & Co-Chairman
Jessica Malkin
CEO, Chicago Ideas
Sonya Jackson
Founder & Principal, Mantra for Good
Laura Desmond
Co-Chairperson, Chicago Ideas; Principal & Founder, Eagle Vista Partners
Bill Daley
Managing Partner and Head of U.S. Operations, Argentière Capital
Eric Becker
Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas
Rich Stoddart
CEO, Leo Burnett Worldwide
Brain Trust
What makes Chicago Ideas Week programming so compelling and so distinctly Chicago? The Chicago Ideas Brain Trust is a community of subject-matter experts selected to help shape the CIW program with their unique insights and expertise. Direction from the Brain Trust enables Chicago Ideas to gauge general interest in timely themes, dive deeply into specific topic areas, book exciting and relevant speakers, broaden the CIW audience, and create experiences that impact the entire CIW community.
Israel Idonije
Athlete & Entrepreneur
Rabiah Mayas
Associate Director, Science in Society, Northwestern University
Sonya Jackson
Founder & Principal, Mantra for Good
Neil Stevenson
Disruptor & Innovator
Susan Crown
Chairman & Founder, Susan Crown Exchange (SCE), Chairman & CEO, Owl Creek Partners
Sonny Garg
Energy Solutions Lead, Uptake
Bethany McLean
Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair
Jay Porter
President, Edelman Chicago
Kim Keywell
Director, Keywell Foundation
Dennis Watkins
Award-winning Magician
Nabeela Rasheed
Section Head, Intellectual Property, Abbvie
Anne Dias
Chief Executive Officer, Aragon Global
Arne Duncan
Managing Partner, Emerson Collective
Matt Gee
Co-Founder & Principal, Impact Lab; Senior Research Scientist, University of Chicago’s Center for...
Ai-jen Poo
Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance; Co-Director, Caring Across Generations Campaign
Gregg Latterman
Music & Entertainment Entrepreneur
Brenna Argall
Associate Professor, Northwestern University; Director, argallab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Wendy Abrams
Founder, Cool Globes, Inc.
Teri Arvesu
Vice President, Content, Univision Chicago
Leslie Bluhm
Co-Founder, Chicago Cares
Lester Coney
Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman, Mesirow Financial
Nick Kokonas
Founder & CEO, Tock; Co-owner, The Alinea Group: Alinea/Next/The Aviary/Roister
Jenna Kostelnik Utley
Executive Producer, The Oprah Winfrey Network
Adam Waytz
Professor, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Elizabeth Thompson
President, Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education
Michael Strautmanis
Chief Engagement Officer, Obama Foundation
Jacolyn Bucksbaum
Co-Founder, The Focus Foundation
Steve Smith
Founder, Smith Devereaux Wines
Moran Cerf
Professor, Neuroscience & Business, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Heather Caruso
Executive Director, Center for Decision Research & Adjunct Associate Professor, Behavioral Scienc...
Andrew Barber
Creator & Owner, Fake Shore Drive
Lola Wright
Spiritual Director, Bodhi Spiritual Center
Anne Libera
Director of Comedy Studies, Columbia College Chicago & The Second City
Orrin Murray
Director of Technology and R&D, UChicago Impact
Chay Yew
Artistic Director, Victory Gardens Theatre
Chicago Ideas Youth Advisory Committee
The Chicago Ideas Youth Advisory Committee supports the Chicago Ideas Youth program by helping to drive strategy and programming throughout the year. The Committee is made up of entrepreneurs, community leaders, philanthropists and friends of Chicago Ideas who all have a belief that sparking inspiration in Chicago's youth can help push them towards a successful future
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Adrienne Irmer, Advocate for social justice & racial equity
Cathy Kahn, Independent Project Consultant
Caty Lamadrid, Principal & Founding Partner, Inova Energy Group
Euler Bropleph, Founder & Managing Director, VestedWorld
Lucy Moog, 43rd Ward Committeeman
Michael Shield, Youth Advisor
Sheila Gutman, Youth Advisor
Shelly Murphy, Director of Client Relationship Services, InterContinental Exchange
Join today and experience Chicago Ideas year round
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