A Network of Global Thought Leaders
Chicago Ideas brings together global thought leaders to examine the most pressing issues and provocative ideas of our time.
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Vicki Abeles
Director, Race to Nowhere
Jack Abramoff
Author
Abiola Abrams
Self-Worth Midwife, Advice Columnist, Empowerment Coach & Founder, SacredBombshell.com
Dan Abrams
Chief Legal Affairs Anchor, ABC News; Founder, Abrams Media
Wendy Abrams
Founder, Cool Globes, Inc.
David Adams
Director, Social Emotional Learning, The Urban Assembly
Hank Adams
CEO, Sportvision
Jarrett Adams
Co-Founder, Life After Justice
Lynsey Addario
Pulitzer Prize–winning Photojournalist
Shradha Agarwal
Co-Founder & President, ContextMedia
Miki Agrawal
Co-Founder & CEO, THINX; Author, "Do Cool Sh*t"
David Agus,
Director, University of Southern California Center for Applied Molecular Medicine & Westside Canc...
Luis Ahn
Computer Science Professor, Carnegie Mellon; Founder & CEO, reCAPTCHA & Duolingo
Mara Akil
Creator, BET's "Being Mary Jane"; Creator, "Girlfriends"
Salim Akil
Director, "Jumping the Broom" & "Sparkle"
Mitch Albom
Author, Playwright & Screenwriter
Dr. Aldrin
Astronaut, Apollo 11
Cedric Alexander,
Public Safety Director; DeKalb County, Georgia
Brother Ali
Hip-Hop Artist, Speaker & Activist
Rafat Ali
Founder & CEO, Skift
David Allen
Founder, David Allen Company
Rafael Alvarez
Founder & CEO, Genesys Works
Deborah Amos
International Correspondent, NPR
Megan Amram
Writer, Parks and Recreation
Lemon Andersen
Poet & Actor
Greg Anderson
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo
Major Anderson
Deputy Chief of the Army Reserve
Jack Andraka
2012 Intel Science Fair Grand Prize Winner
Julia Angwin
Senior Reporter, ProPublica
Jason Aramburu
CEO, re:char
Colin Archipley
Co-Owner & CEO, Archi's Acres; Co-Owner, Veterans Sustainability Agribusiness Training (VSAT) Pro...
Karen Archipley
Co-Owner & Marketing Director, Archi's Acres; Co-Owner, Veterans Sustainability Agribusiness Trai...
Brenna Argall
Associate Professor, Northwestern University; Director, argallab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Dan Ariely
Professor, Psychology & Behavioral Economics, Duke University
Ken Arkind
Executive Director, Denver Minor Disturbance Poetry Project
Michael Arndt
Editor, Crain's Chicago Business
Dana Arnett
CEO, VSA Partners
Stephanie Arnold
Author, 37 Seconds
Tom Arnold
Actor & Comedian
Mark Arnoldy
CEO, Possible
Vicki Arroyo
Executive Director, Georgetown Climate Center
Rinat Aruh
Co-Founder, aruliden
Eddie Aruzza
Emmy-Winning Host & Correspondent, WTTW Chicago
Sarah Astheimer
Senior Associate, James Field Operations
Felicity Aston
Explorer, Speaker & Author
Chris Ategeka
Founder & CEO, CA Bikes
Mariana Atencio
Host, Fusion
Dev Aujla
Founder, Catalog; Director of Talent, Juxtapose
David Axelrod
Director, Institute of Politics, University of Chicago
Andrew Aydin
Author, "March: Book One" & "March: Book Two"
Brian Babylon
Comic & Radio Host
Ricardo Baca
Editor, The Cannabist, "The Denver Post"
Peter Bach,
Director, Center for Health Policy & Outcomes, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Petra Bachmaier
Multimedia Artist, Luftwerk
Vadim Backman,
Professor, Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University
Zubaida Bai
BHSI Fellow; Founder & CEO, AYZH
Jennifer Bailey
Founding Executive Director, Faith Matters Network
Adam Bain
President, Global Revenue & Partnerships, Twitter
Donnel Baird
BHSI Fellow; Founder, BlocPower
Alec Baldwin
Actor, Writer & Comedian
Roger Ballentine
President, Green Strategies Inc.
Maryam Banikarim
Global Chief Marketing Officer, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Ernie Banks
Former Major League Baseball Shortstop & First Baseman
Jessica Banks
Founder & President, RockPaperRobot
Keith Banks
President, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
Dan Barasch
Co-Founder, Lowline
Andrew Barber
Creator & Owner, Fake Shore Drive
Dan Barber
Chef & Co-Owner, Blue Hill & Blue Hill at Stone Barns
Tom Barclay
Research Scientist, NASA's Ames Research Center
Carol Barney
Founder & Design Principal, Ross Barney Architects
Jason Baron
Managing Director & Head Portfolio Manager, Social Investment Strategies, U.S. Trust, Bank of Ame...
Peter Barris
Managing General Partner, New Enterprise Associates
David Bartlett
Vice President, Smarter Physical Infrastructure, IBM
Linda Bartman
Chief Marketing Office, Cars.com
Mario Batali
Critically-acclaimed Chef, Award-winning Author, Restaurateur & TV Personality
Jon Batiste
Pianist, Vocalist & Composer
Shane Battier
NBA Forward & Founder, The Battier Take Charge Foundation
Ishmael Beah
Author; Founder & President, The Ishmael Beah Foundation
Emily Bear
Pianist & Composer
Beau Beaudoin,
Professor of Media & Cultural Analysis, Columbia College
Robyn Beavers
Director of Commercialization for Water & Power Technologies, DEKA R&D Corp
Robyn Beavers
Clean Energy Innovator
Eric Becker
Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas
Ana Belaval
Reporter, "Around Town", WGN Morning News
Cornell Belcher
Pollster & Political Strategist; President, brilliant corners Research & Strategies
Eric Belcher
President & CEO, InnerWorkings
Rob Bell
Author, Love Wins; Founding Pastor, Mars Hill Bible Church
Keith Bellows
Senior Vice President and Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic Travel Media
Scott Belsky
Founder & CEO, Behance
Hollie Belton
Founder, Books on the Underground
Adam Benforado
Author, Unfair: The New Science of Criminal Injustice
Rich Benjamin
Senior Fellow, Demos; Author
Dave Beran
Executive Chef, Next Restaurant
Deborah Berebichez
Physicist; TV Host, Discovery Channel
Elena Bergeron
Editor-in-Chief, TriangleOffense.com
Jeffrey Bergstrand
Professor, Finance, Mendoza College of Business & Fellow, Kellogg Institute for International Stu...
Richard Berk
Professor of Statistics and Criminology, University of Pennsylvania
Matthew Berman
Founder, workshop/apd, Founder & Creative Director, SpruceBox
Charles Best
Founder & CEO, DonorsChoose.org
Thomas Beug
Co-Creator, This is My City
Gia Biagi
Senior Director, Urbanism + Civic Impact, Studio Gang Architects
Laura Biagi
Performance Artist
Henry Bienen
President Emeritus, Northwestern University
Marvin Bing
Creative Director, Amnesty International USA
Cynthia Bir
Professor of Biomedical Engineering & Director of Research for Orthopaedic Surgery, Wayne State U...
Dan Black
Americas Director of Recruiting, EY
Toni Blackman
Hip-Hop Ambassador, U.S. State Department
Alan Blaustein
Founder, CarePlanners
Chris Bliss
Comedian, Variety Artist & Writer
Mayor Bloomberg
Mayor, City of New York
Leslie Bluhm
Co-Founder, Chicago Cares
Gabriella Blum
Professor, Human Rights & Humanitarian Law, Harvard Law School
Jason Blumberg
CEO & Managing Director, Energy Foundry
Tricia Bobeda
Nerdette Co-Host and Senior Editor of Digital, WBEZ
Eddie Bocanegra
Violence Interrupter
Janet Bodnar
Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Brandon Bodor
COO, The Bunker Incubator
Raymond Bonner
Pulitzer Prize Winning Investigative Journalist; Author, "Anatomy of Injustice"
Bonzie Bonzie
Singer/Songwriter
Jon Boogz
Movement Artist, Choreographer & Director
Kathryn Born
Editor-in-Chief & Founder, Chicago Art Magazine
David Bornstein
Founder, Dowser
Robert Bourge,
Professor, Medicine, Radiology & Surgery, University of Alabama–Birmingham
Norma Bowe
Professor, College of Education, Kean University
Bob Bowman
Renowned Swimming Coach of Michael Phelps
Brandon Boyd
Lead Singer & Lyricist, Incubus
The Boys
Founders, Beekman 1802
Marc Brackett
Director, Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence
Stephen Bradberry
Community Organizer & Executive Director, Alliance Institute, Inc.
Wayne Brady
Entertainer
David Brancaccio
Host & Senior Editor, "Marketplace Morning Report"
Hebru Brantley
Artist, Hebru Brand; Artist in Residence, CIW
Adam Braun
Founder, Pencils of Promise
Cynthia Breazeal
Founder & Chief Scientist, Jibo
Lin Brehmer
Disc Jockey & Radio Personality, WXRT
Bridget Brennan
CEO, Female Factor; Author, "Why She Buys"
Saroo Brierley
CEO, Saroo Brierley Enterprise; Author, "A Long Way Home"
Geoff Brigham
General Counsel, Wikimedia Foundation
Paula Broadwell
Co-Founder & Director, Think Broader Foundation
Tom Brokaw
Special Correspondent, NBC News
Jennifer Brokaw,
Founder, Good Medicine
Rachel Bronson
Executive Director & Publisher, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
Yaron Brook
Executive Director, The Ayn Rand Institute; Author, "Equal Is Unfair"
Arthur Brooks
President & CEO, American Enterprise Institute
Bobbi Brown
Founder & CEO, Beauty Evolution; Founder, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
Campbell Brown
Co-Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Seventy Four
David O. Brown
Correspondent, ABC News; Chief of Police, Retired, Dallas Police Department
Mayor Brown
Mayor, City of Compton, CA
Terrell Brown
Emmy Award–Winning Anchor, ABC7 Eyewitness News
Lisa Brummel
Chief People Officer, Microsoft
Brandon Bryant
Former Drone Operator, United States Air Force
Jessica Buchanan
Humanitarian Aid Worker; Teacher; Co-author, "Impossible Odds"
Jacolyn Bucksbaum
Co-Founder, The Focus Foundation
Dexter Bullard
Director & Head of Graduate Acting, The Theatre School, DePaul University
Ron Bullock
Chairman, Bison Gear and Engineering Corp.
Adrian Burgos,
Professor, University of Illinois
Brian Burkhart
President & Chief Word Guy, SquarePlanet Presentations
Bill Burnett
Executive Director, Stanford Design Program
Matthew Burnett
Co-Founder & CEO, Maker's Row
Christy Burns
Global Maternal Health Advocate & Founder, Every Mother Counts
David Burstein
CEO & Founder, Run for America
LeVar Burton
Host & Executive Producer, Reading Rainbow & Co-Founder, RRKidz
Peter Byck
Professor, Arizona State University Global Institute of Sustainability; Director, "Carbon Nation"
Ilia Calderón
News Anchor, Univision
Tommy Caldwell
Professional Rock Climber
Chief Campanello
Chief of Police, City of Gloucester, MA
Homaro Cantu
Executive Chef, Moto Restaurant
Mark Caro
Journalist
Laura Carstensen,
Fairleigh S. Dickinson Jr. Professor in Public Policy & Professor of Psychology, Stanford Univers...
Michael Carter
Founder & CEO, Strive for College
Heather Caruso
Executive Director, Center for Decision Research & Adjunct Associate Professor, Behavioral Scienc...
Wences Casares
Founder & CEO, Xapo
Jean Case
CEO, The Case Foundation
Scott Case
Founder, Startup America Partnership; Co-founder & Former Chief Technology Officer, Priceline.com
Steve Case
CEO, Revolution; Chairman, Startup America Partnership
Steve Casey
Board President, Fresh Moves
Moran Cerf
Professor, Neuroscience & Business, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University
Elaine Chang
Founder, Social Teeth
Paul Charney
Founder & CEO, Funworks
Arun Chaudhary
SVP of Communications, Revolution Messaging
Juan Chavez
CIW Artist-in-Residence
Eugenia Cheng
Scientist-in-Residence, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Leroy Chiao
Former Astronaut, NASA & Special Advisor, Houston Association for Space and Science Education
Grace Choi
Activist Inventor & Creator, Mink
Alexandra Chong
Founder & CEO, Lulu
Rachael Chong
Founder & CEO, Catchafire
Deepak Chopra, M.D., FACP
Founder, The Chopra Foundation; Co-Founder, Jiyo and The Chopra Center for Wellbeing
Minhaj Chowdhury
Co-Founder & CEO, Drinkwell
Lenora Chu
Journalist & Writer
Louisa Chu
Co-Host, WBEZ's “Chewing the Fat”
Marvin Chun
Richard M. Colgate Professor of Psychology, Yale University
Eugene Chung
Founder & CEO, Penrose VR
George Church
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Director of PersonalGenomes.org
Patricia Churchland
Professor, University of California–San Diego
Patricia Churchland
Philosopher; Professor Emerita, University of California, San Diego
Melissa Clark
Columnist, "The New York Times"
Alexa Clay
Author & Innovation Strategist
Carter Cleveland
Founder & CEO, Art.sy
Hillary Clinton
Former U.S. Secretary of State
Emma Clippinger
Co-Founder, Gardens for Health International
Elizabeth Cohen
Senior Medical Correspondent, CNN
Yael Cohen
Founder, President & CEO, Fuck Cancer
Linda Cohn
Anchor, ESPN; Host, “The SportsCenter Podcast”
Tanner Colby
Author
Jahmal Cole
Founder & Executive Director, My Block My Hood My City
Carol Coletta
Vice President, Community & National Initiatives, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Sean Combs
Chairman, Combs Enterprises
Elesa Commerse
Founder, Touching Earth Mindfulness Learning Center
Common Common
Hip-Hop Artist & Actor
Beth Comstock
Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, GE
Lester Coney
Executive Vice President, Office of the Chairman, Mesirow Financial
Micaela Connery
Founder, The Kelsey; Mitchell Scholar, University College Dublin; 2012 BHSI Fellow
Michaela Connery
Co-Founder, The Kelsey; Former BHSI Fellow
Ken Connor
Chairman, Center for a Just Society
Martin Cooper
Inventor, Entrepreneur & Futurist
Cat Cora
Chef, Restaurateur, Lifestyle Entrepreneur & TV Personality
Cheryl Corley
Correspondent, NPR
Jeb Corliss
BASE-jumper & Wingsuit Pilot
Joshua Corman
Founder, I Am The Cavalry; Director, Cyber Statecraft Initiative, Atlantic Council
Natalie Coughlin
12-time Olympic Medalist
Kevin Coval
Founder, Louder Than A Bomb
Madison Cowan
Chef & CEO, Madison Cowan, LLC
Nick Cowan
Planetary Scientist, Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, North...
Donna Cox
Director, Advanced Visualization Laboratory at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications
Lynne Cox
Author & Extreme Open Water Swimmer
John Coyle
Olympian, Innovation Professor & Horologist
George Crabtree
Departments of Physics, University of Illinois at Chicago & Materials Science Division, Argonne N...
Bryan Cranston
Actor & Producer
Kohl Crecelius
CEO & Co-Founder, Krochet Kids International
Susan Credle
Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett USA
Lance Criscuolo
President, Zyvex Technologies
Susan Crown
Chairman & Founder, Susan Crown Exchange (SCE), Chairman & CEO, Owl Creek Partners
John Cruickshank
Chairman, Canadian Journalism Foundation & Co-Chair, Canadian Press Enterprises Inc.
Kenneth Cukier
Senior Editor, The Economist
S.E. Cupp
CNN Commentator, Author & Nationally Syndicated Columnist
Bonnie Curtis
Film Producer, Mockingbird Pictures
Joan Cusack
Emmy-nominated & Academy Award–nominated Actress
Peter D'Aluisio
Authors, What I Eat: Around the World in 80 Diets
Thierry Daher
Founder & CEO, Caid Productions
Eric Daigh
Portraitist
William Daley
Former White House Chief of Staff & Former Secretary of Commerce
Dapper Dan
Fashion Innovator
Pam Daniels
Founding Partner, DesignHouse Inc.
Pam Daniels
Design Innovator in Residence & Clinical Assistant Professor, Northwestern University
Mitchell Daniels,
President, Purdue University
Katherine Darnstadt
Co-Director, Architecture for Humanity Chicago
Linda Darragh
Executive Director, Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative
Tom Dart
Cook County Sheriff
Anil Dash
CEO, Fog Creek Software
Gayatri Datar
BHSI Fellow; Co-Founder, EarthEnable
Paul Dateh
Musician, Composer & New Media Artist
Steve Davidsen
Vice President, Oncology Discovery, AbbVie Biopharmaceuticals
Liz Davidson
Founder & CEO, Financial Finesse
Eric Davis
Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University
Kim Davis
President, JPMorgan Chase Foundation
Kristin Davis
Actress; Patron, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
Mitchell Davis
Executive Vice President, James Beard Foundation
Naomi Davis
President & Founder, BIG: Blacks in Green
Steven Davis
Professor of International Business & Economics, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Taryn Davis
Founder & Executive Director, American Widow Project
Jim DeRogatis
Co-Host, Sound Opinions
Nelson Dellis
CEO & Founder, Climb for Memory
Laura Desmond
Co-Chairperson, Chicago Ideas; Principal & Founder, Eagle Vista Partners
Chelsea Devantez
Writer, Jon Stewart's New HBO Project; Second City Mainstage Alumn
Anne Dias
Chief Executive Officer, Aragon Global
Dan Diaz
Advocate, End of Life Options
Chad Dickerson
CEO, Etsy
Suzanne Dikker
Researcher, New York University & Utrecht University
Stacy Dilling
Marketing Director, Field Museum
Justin Dillon
Call+Response / Slavery Footprint
Molly Doane
Adjunct Curator, The Field Museum
Gabriel Dobbs
Head of Policy, Skycatch
Bill Doerge
Managing Principal, Perkins + Will
Zoe Dolan
Lawyer, Law Office of Zoe Dolan
Bruce Dold
Editorial Page Editor, "Chicago Tribune"
Steve Dolinsky
Food Reporter, ABC7 Chicago
Chris Donaghue,
Sex Therapist
Krista Donaldson
CEO, Design Revolution
Ducky DooLittle
Sex Educator
Father Manuel Dorantes
Pastor, Immaculate Conception Catholic Church; Assistant to the Director, Holy See Press Office
Michelle Dorrance
Tap dancer, choreographer and performer
Scott Dorsey
CEO, ExactTarget
Patrick Dossett
Co-Founder & Director, Tip of the Spear Foundation
Kevin Dowling
VP of Research & Development, MC10
Mark Doyle
Founder, Rags of Honor
Elizabeth Dozier
Founder & Managing Director, Chicago Beyond
Lauren Drain
Author, "Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church"
Fran Drescher
President & Visionary, Cancer Schmancer Movement; Film & Television Actress; US Diplomat; Preside...
Craig Dubitsky
Friendly Founder & CEO, Hello Products
Congresswoman Duckworth
U.S. Representative, Illinois Eighth Congressional District
Michael Duffy
Executive Editor, TIME & Washington Bureau Chief
Charles Duhigg
New York Times Reporter; Author, “Smarter Faster Better”
Giles Duley
Photographer, Writer & Storyteller
Mick Dumke
Staff Reporter, Chicago Sun-Times
Arne Duncan
Managing Partner, Emerson Collective
Nikki Durkin
Founder, 99dresses.com
Liz Dwyer
Education Editor, GOOD Magazine
Thomas Dyja
Author, "The Third Coast"
David Eagleman,
Author & Neuroscientist, Baylor College of Medicine
Amelia Earhart
Aviatrix & President, Fly with Amelia Foundation
Mick Ebeling
Author, Not Impossible
Tricia Eck
Artistic Director, 6108NORTH
Marc Ecko
Founder, Artists & Instigators
Ronny Edry
Founder, Peace Factory
Kathleen Edwards
Musician
Marc Edwards
Charles Lunsford Professor of Civil Engineering, Virginia Tech
Steve Edwards
Executive Director, University of Chicago Institute of Politics
Dan Egan
Managing Director, Behavioral Finance & Investments, Betterment
Kevin Egan
Sports Broadcaster
Jennifer Eigenbrode,
Research Scientist, NASA Goddard Spaceflight Center
Hasan Elahi
Director of Digital Cultures and Creativity Honors Program, University of Maryland
Wadad Elaly
Recently Resettled Syrian Refugee
Ric Elias
Co-Founder & CEO, Red Ventures
Graham Elliot
Celebrity Chef & Restaurateur
Mark Ellwood
Journalist & Retail Expert
Ariel Emanuel
Co-CEO, WME | IMG
Dr. Emanuel
Vice Provost for Global Initiatives and Chair of Medical Ethics & Health Policy, University of Pe...
Mayor Emanuel
Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas; Mayor, City of Chicago
Dan Emodi
Vice President, Marketing, Beyond Verbal
Monica Eng
Food & Health Reporter, WBEZ
Charlie Engle
Ultramarathon Runner
David Epstein
Author, "The Sports Gene"
Adam Erlebacher
Vice President of Business Operations, Simple
Dave Evans
Co-Founder, Electronic Arts
Tanyella Evans
Co-Founder & CEO, Library for All
Terry Evans
Photographer
Anne Evens
CEO, Elevate Energy
Bryony Evens
Former Literary Agency Office Manager
Obiageli Ezekwesili
Co-Founder, #BringBackOurGirls Momement
Leila Fadel
International Correspondent, NPR; Edward R. Murrow Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
James Fallon
Professor of Psychiatry & Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine
Deborah Fallows
Author, Dreaming in Chinese; Contributing Writer, The Atlantic
Negin Farsad
Comedian; Author, “How to Make White People Laugh”
Terry Fator
Ventriloquist & Celebrity Impressionist; Winner, "America's Got Talent" Season 2
Kenneth Feinberg
Former Special Master, Federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001
Gary Feinman
MacArthur Curator & Archeologist, Field Museum
Allyson Felix
Six-Time Olympic Gold Medalist
Elizabeth Fenner
Editor-in-Chief, Chicago Magazine
Christopher Ferguson
Director of Crew and Mission Operations, Boeing; Former NASA Astronaut
Isis Ferguson
Program Manager, Place Lab, University of Chicago
Keith Ferrazzi
Bestselling Author; Founder & CEO, Ferrazzi Greenlight
Tim Ferriss
Angel Investor & Author, "The 4-Hour Workweek"
Lupe Fiasco
Grammy Award Winning Hip Hop Artist
Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano
Physicist; Professor, Northwestern University
Eli Finkel
Professor, Northwestern University; Author
Aaron Firestein
Co-Founder & Chief Artist, BucketFeet
Robert Fischell
Biomedical Inventor
Bo Fishback
Founder & CEO, Zaarly
Sasha Fisher
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Spark MicroGrants; BHSI Fellow
Ted Fishman
Journalist & Author
Michael Fitzpatrick
Lead Vocalist & Principal Songwriter, Fitz and the Tantrums
Seth Flaxman
BHSI Fellow; Co-Founder, Democracy Works
Renee Fleming
Grammy Award–Winning Soprano & Creative Consultant, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Artistic Advisor, Ken...
Jason Flom
Founder & CEO, Lava Records
Robert Fogarty
Founder, Dear World
Carolina Fonseca
President, LAP
FootworKINGz FootworKINGz
Acclaimed Chicago Dance Ensemble
Erica Ford
Philanthropist; Social Entrepreneur; Community Organizer; Youth Advocate
Robert Ford
Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute & Former Ambassador, Syria
Tyler Ford
Agender Writer, Speaker, Consultant & Personality
Brady Forrest
Founder, Ignite
Danny Forster
Designer, TV Host, Director & Professor
Lorraine Forte
Editor-in-Chief, Catalyst Chicago
Adam Foss
Co-Founder, Prosecutor Impact
Kim Foxx
State's Attorney, Cook County
Scott Frances
Renowned Architecture & Lifestyle Photographer
Bethenny Frankel
Founder & CEO, Skinnygirl
Rich Franklin
Three-time UFC Champion & Vice President at ONE FC
Marc Freedman
Founder & CEO, Encore.org
Chrystia Freeland
Editor, Thomson Reuters Digital
Mayor Freeman-Wilson
Mayor of Gary
Joe Freshgoods
Designer & Co-Founder, Dont.Be.Mad. and Fat Tiger Workshop
Jason Fried
Co-Founder & CEO, 37signals
Ann Friedman
Journalist & Cohost, "Call Your Girlfriend"
Jena Friedman
Comedian & Writer
John Friedman
Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Harvard Kennedy School
Thomas Friedman
NY Times Columnist & Pulitzer Prize-winning Author
Paula Froelich
Founder, A Broad Abroad
Ping Fu
Vice President & Chief Strategy Officer, 3D Systems, Inc.
Cristian Fuente
Actor & Model
Gian Fulgoni
Executive Chairman & Co-Founder, comScore
Craig Futterman
Clinical Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School
Sameer Gadhia
Lead Vocalist, Young the Giant
Greg Gage
Co-Founder, Backyard Brains
Bridget Gainer
Cook County Commissioner, Chicago’s 10th District
James Galbraith
Chair in Government & Business Relations, Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs, University ...
David Gallo
Oceanographer
Shannon Galpin
Founder & President, Mountain2Mountain
Bela Gandhi
Founder & President, Smart Dating Academy
Jeanne Gang
President & Founder, Studio Gang Architects
Erin Ganju
Co-Founder & CEO of Room to Read
Alex Garcia
Photographer, Chicago Tribune
Marcelo Garcia
Chester and Helen Siess Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Illinois ...
Ryan Garcia
366 Random Acts of Kindness
Sonny Garg
Energy Solutions Lead, Uptake
Sonny Garg
Global Lead, Energy, Uptake
Jennifer Garner
Actress & Philanthropist
Bradley Garrett
Cultural Geographer, University of Southampton
Alicia Garza
Co-Creator, Black Lives Matter; Special Projects Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance
Helene Gayle
President & CEO, CARE USA
Matt Gee
Co-Founder & Principal, Impact Lab; Senior Research Scientist, University of Chicago’s Center for...
Marc Geiger
Partner, WME Entertainment
Lisa Gersh
CEO, goop
Bobby Ghosh
Journalist & Editor, "TIME"
Nancy Gibbs
Deputy Managing Editor, TIME; Co-Author, The Presidents Club
Dan Gilbert
Founder & Chairman, Rock Ventures; Founder & Chairman, Quicken Loans
Dave Gilboa
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Warby Parker
Gordon Gill
Founding Partner, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
Jim Gilliam
Founder & CEO, NationBuilder
Robin Givhan
Pulitzer Prize–Winning Fashion Critic, Washington Post
Malcolm Gladwell
Author; Staff Writer, "The New Yorker"
Chris Gladwin
Founder & Vice Chairman, Cleversafe
John Glaspy
Professor of Medicine, UCLA
Peter Gleick
President & Co-Founder, Pacific Institute
Marcelo Gleiser
Professor, Dartmouth College
Ilyce Glink
Founder & CEO, Best Money Moves, Think Glink Media and ThinkGlink.com
Nathan Gold
The Demo Coach
Christy Goldfuss
Deputy Director, National Park Service
Bianna Golodryga
Anchor, Yahoo! News & Finance
Ted Gonder
BHSI Fellow; Co-Founder & CEO, Moneythink
Austan Goolsbee
Professor of Economics, University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Bing Gordon
General Partner, KPCB
Dana Gordon
Founder, Designer & Director of Dana Rebecca Designs
Annette Gordon-Reed
Professor, Harvard Law School & Harvard University
Elizabeth Gore
Vice President of Global Partnerships, United Nations Foundation
Brad Goreski
Celebrity Fashion Stylist; TV Personality, Bravo’s It’s A Brad, Brad World
Stephanie Gosk
Correspondent, NBC News
Margaret Gould Stewart
Vice President, Product Design, Facebook
LZ Granderson
Contributor & Senior Writer, ABC & ESPN
Adam Grant
Wharton Professor; New York Times Best-selling Author
Peter Gray
Research Professor of Psychology, Boston College
Brian Grazer
Award-Winning Film & TV Producer; New York Times Best-selling Author
Adam Green
Associate Professor of American History, University of Chicago
Jon Greenberg
Columnist, ESPN Chicago
Emily Greener
Co-Founder & CEO, I Am That Girl
David Gregory
Former Newsman, NBC & Author, How's Your Faith: An Unlikely Spiritual Journey
Kelly Grier
Chicago Office Managing Partner, EY
Dina Griffin
President, Interactive Design Architects [IDEA]
Kate Grossman
Senior Editor, WBEZ
Robert Grossman
Professor of Medicine & Director of Center for Data Intensive Science, University of Chicago
Dr. Gupta
CNN Chief Medical Correspondent
Young Guru
Co-Founder, Era of the Engineer
Ellen Gustafson
Founder & Executive Director, The 30 Project
Sahar Habibi
DJ; Executive Assistant, Soulection
Beth Haggerty
Co-Founder, Parity Partners; Managing Partner & Chief Operation Officer, The Social Architects
Don Hahn
Filmmaker
Kristin Hahn
Principal, Business Tax Services, EY
Mark Halperin
Editor-at-Large and Senior Political Analyst, TIME
Phil Hansen
Multimedia Artist & Author
Dr. Hanson
Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom
Chad Harbach
Author, The Art of Fielding
Gunny Harboe
President, Harboe Architects
Jason Harinstein
Senior Vice President of Corporate Development, Groupon
Poppy Harlow
Anchor & Correspondent, CNN
Jane Harman
Director, President & CEO, Woodrow Wilson Center; Former U.S. Representative
Sonya Harper
Illinois State Representative, 6th District
Dan Harris
Anchor & Correspondent, ABC News
Fagan Harris
President & CEO, Baltimore Corps
Kamala Harris
Attorney General, State of California
Melissa Harris
Columnist, Chicago Tribune
Tim Harris
Restaurateur; Founder, Tim's Big Heart Foundation
Scott Harrison
Founder & CEO, charity: water
Carl Hart,
Professor, Psychology, Columbia University
Ian Hartman-O'Connell
Senior Policy Liaison, AARP
Monica Haslip
Founder & Executive Director, Little Black Pearl
Tinker Hatfield
Vice President of Creative Concepts, Nike
David Haugh
Chicago Tribune Columnist, "In the Wake of the News"
Graham Hawkes
CEO, Hawkes Ocean Technologies
Natalie Haynes
Author, "The Ancient Guide to Modern Life"
Celeste Headlee
Award-winning journalist; Host, "On Second Thought"
William Heard
Founder, CEO & CIO, Heard Capital
Shannon Heffernan
Reporter & Producer, WBEZ
John Heilemann
National Affairs Editor, New York Magazine
Scott Heimendinger
Director, Applied Research, Modernist Cuisine; Co-Founder, Sansaire
Becca Heller
Director & Co-Founder, International Refugee Assistance Project
Terri Hemmert
DJ & Public Affairs Director, WXRT-FM
Cheryl Henderson
Founding President, The Brown Foundation
Marilu Henner
Actress, "New York Times" Best-selling Author & Radio Host
Jason Henrichs
Founder & Managing Director, Fintech Forge; Co-Founder, FinTEx
Shawn Henry
President, CrowdStrike Services
Bob Herbert
Director, Against All Odds: The Fight for a Black Middle Class
Ezequiel Hernandez
Immigration Attorney
Daniel Hernandez,
Intern for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords
Andrew Hessel
Autodesk Distinguished Researcher
Marco Hidalgo,
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of...
Melody Hildebrandt
Global Head, Cybersecurity, Palantir Technologies
Brian Hill
Founder & CEO, Edovo
Brian Hill
CEO, Edovo
Clint Hill
Former Assistant Director, Protective Services, U.S. Secret Service & Author
Graham Hill
Founder & CEO, LifeEdited
Grant Hill
Seven-time NBA All-Star, Film Producer & Philanthropist
Marc Hill
Host, BET News; Professor, Morehouse College
Hunter Hillenmeyer
Former Chicago Bear Linebacker
Kelly Hiller
Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse, Northwestern University
Peter Himmelman
Founder, Big Muse
Gary Hirshberg
Chairman & Former CEO & President, Stonyfield Farm
Tony Hoagland
Poet & Writer
Mellody Hobson
President, Ariel Investments
Chris Hoehn-Saric
Co-founder & Senior Managing Director, Sterling Partners
Catherine Hoke
Founder & CEO, Defy Ventures
Sandra Holl
Pastry Chef & Owner, Floriole Cafe & Bakery
Ryan Holladay
Artist & New Media Curator, Hays + Ryan Holladay
Meika Hollender
Co-Founder, Sustain Condoms
Anna Holmes
Founder, Jezebel
Dave Holmes
Writer, Comedian & Television Personality
Adrian Holovaty
Web Developer & Founder, EveryBlock.com
Dennis Hong
Founding Director, Robotics & Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech
Mark Hoplamazian
President & CEO, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Eli Horowitz
Author specializing in digital publishing
Rick Horrow
Chairman, Horrow Sports Ventures
Ayanna Howard
Professor, School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology
Eddie Huang
Chef, Writer & TV Host
Chris Hughes
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, The New Republic
No I.D.
Producer; Executive Vice President, Capitol Music Group; President, ARTium Recordings
Andrew III
Chief Executive Officer, GiveLocally.net
Israel Idonije
Athlete & Entrepreneur
Thomas Insel,
Director, National Institute of Mental Health
Greg Ip
Chief Economics Commentator, The Wall Street Journal
Sarah Ippel
Founder & Executive Chairman, Academy for Global Citizenship; BHSI Fellow
Paul Irving
President, Milken Institute
Joi Ito
Director, MIT Media Lab; Tech Entrepreneur
Jesse Itzler
Author, Endurance Athlete & Entrepreneur
J. Ivy
CIW YOU(th) Speaker; Grammy Award–winning Performance Poet, Author & Motivational Speaker
Sheena Iyengar
S.T. Lee Professor of Business in the Management Division, Columbia Business School
Stephanie Izard
Executive Chef & Partner, Girl & the Goat and Little Goat
Janice Jackson
Chief Education Officer, Chicago Public Schools
John Jackson
President & CEO, Schott Foundation for Public Education
Sonya Jackson
Founder & Principal, Mantra for Good
AJ Jacobs
Author, "Drop Dead Healthy"
Rajni Jacques
Fashion Director, Teen Vogue
Naveen Jain
Founder & CEO, inome
Matthew Jakubowski
Director, Hackers & Hunters, Uptake
Leila Janah
Founder & CEO, Samasource
James Janega
Consultant, Slalom Consulting
Rebecca Jarvis
Chief Business & Economics Correspondent, ABC News
Rula Jebreal
Foreign Policy Contributor, "MSNBC"
Oliver Jeffers
Visual Artist & Author
Jeff Jenkins
Founder & Executive Director, Midnight Circus in the Parks
Jo Jenkins
CEO, AARP
Nimesh Jhaveri
Divisional Vice President
Mitchell Joachim
Associate Professor in Practice, New York University
Johnnyswim Johnnyswim
Folk, Soul, Blues & Pop Music Duo
Ben Johnson
Host, “Marketplace Tech” & “Codebreaker”
Beverly Johnson
Supermodel, Author, Actress & Businesswoman
Erik Johnson
Marketing Optimization Manager, Behavioral Insights, Morningstar
Greta Johnson
Nerdette Co-Host, Weekend Anchor and Reporter, WBEZ
Rich Johnson
Co-Founder & CEO, Spark Ventures
Whitney Johnson
Founder & CEO, Generation Ubuntu
Nick Johnston
Editor, Axios
Benjamin Jones
Gordon & Llura Gund Family Professor of Entrepreneurship, Kellogg School of Management
Garett Jones
Professor of Economics, George Mason University
Joseph Jones
Senior, W.R. Harper High School; CIW (YOU)th Ambassador
Lesley-Ann Jones
Journalist, Broadcaster & Author, Mercury
Michael Jones
Chairman & CIO, RiverFront Investment Group
Nick Jones
Executive Vice President, Innovation & Growth, Arc/Leo Burnett
Steve Jones
Professor of Communication, UIC
Steve Jones
CEO, Fairlife
Karen Jordan
Anchor, ABC7 Weekend News
Naomi Judd
Grammy Award–winning Country Music Singer; Activist
Khaleed Juma
Creative Director, Mosaic
Sebastian Junger
Journalist; Author, “War,” “The Perfect Storm” & “A Death in Belmont”
Tim Kafalas
Co-Creator, This is My City
Peter Kageyama
Author, For the Love of Cities; Founder, Creative Cities Summit
Paul Kahan
Executive Chef & Partner, One Off Hospitality Group
Travis Kalanick
Co-Founder & CEO, Uber
Blair Kamin
Architecture Critic, Chicago Tribune
Kathie Kane-Willis
Director, Illinois Consortium on Drug Policy, Roosevelt University
Shalini Kantayya
Director, 7th Empire Media
Rosabeth Kanter
Professor, Harvard Business School; Chair & Director, Harvard University Advanced Leadership Init...
Robbie Kaplan
Partner, Paul, Weiss, LLP
Robert Kaplan
Professor & Senior Associate Dean, Harvard Business School
Donna Karan
Fashion Designer; Humanitarian, Urban Zen Foundation
Sam Kass
Senior Food Analyst, NBC News; Former Senior Policy Advisor to President Obama
Sandee Kastrul
Co-Founder & President, i.c.stars
Katherine Katcher
Founder & Executive Director, Root & Rebound
Katherine Katcher
Founder & Executive Director, Root & Rebound
Kim Katrin Milan
Writer, Educator & Artist
Rebecca Katz
Chef, Author & Founder, The Healing Kitchens Institute
Mollie Katzen
Author, “The Heart of the Plate”
Ben Kaufman
Founder & CEO, Quirky
Zak Kaufman
BHSI Fellow; Co-Founder & CEO, Vera Solutions
Dr. Kellermann
Director, RAND Health
Tom Kelley
Partner, IDEO
Ray Kelly
Former Commissioner, New York City Police Department
David Kennedy
Director, Center for Crime Prevention and Control, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Patrick Kennedy
Founder, The Kennedy Forum & Co-Founder, One Mind
Robert Kennedy,
President, Waterkeeper Alliance Works
Deborah Kenny,
Founder & CEO, Harlem Village Academies
Norman Kerr
Vice President, Violence Prevention Initiatives
James Ketchell
Serial Adventurer, Pushing Limits Limited
Brad Keywell
Founder & Co-Chairman, Chicago Ideas; Co-Founder & CEO, Uptake
Kim Keywell
Director, Keywell Foundation
Anthony Khan
Producer & Songwriter
Daisy Khan
Executive Director, American Society for Muslim Advancement
Imran Khan
Executive Director & Founder, EMBARC
Sal Khan
Founder & CEO, Khan Academy
Shahid Khan
Owner, Jacksonville Jaguars
Eesha Khare
Young Scientist Award Winner, Intel International Science & Engineering Fair; Student, Harvard Un...
Cy Khormaee
Microsoft Imagine Cup Winner, 2011
Ghostface Killah
Rapper; Founding Member of the Wu-Tang Clan
Josh Kilmer-Purcell
Best-selling Author; Co-Founder, Beekman 1802
Gene Kim
Founder, Tripwire
Charles D. King
Producer; Founder, MACRO
Peter King
Senior Writer, "Sports Illustrated"
Tim King
Founder & CEO, Urban Prep Academies
Teresa Klein
Freelance Digital Feminist
Chuck Klosterman
Essayist; Author, "But What If We're Wrong?"
Ryan Knighton
Writer
Timothy Knowles,
Pritzker Director, University of Chicago Urban Labs
Dave Knox
Chief Marketing Officer, Rockfish
Benjamin Kohlmann
Lieutenant Commander, U.S. Navy
Sally Kohn
Political Commentator, CNN & "The Daily Beast"
Nick Kokonas
Founder & CEO, Tock; Co-owner, The Alinea Group: Alinea/Next/The Aviary/Roister
Rocky Kolb
Dean of Physical Sciences, University of Chicago
Kay Koplovitz
Founder, USA Networks
David Korins
Emmy Award–Winning Creative Director & Designer, David Korins Design
Greg Kot
Co-Host, Sound Opinions
Andrew Kotchen
Principal & Founder, workshop/apd, Founder, SpruceBox
Akshay Kothari
Co-founder & CEO, Pulse
David Kramer
President, Freedom House & Former Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights & Labor
Wayne Kramer
Founder, Jail Guitar Doors USA
Sallie Krawcheck
Co-Founder & CEO, Ellevest
Nicholas Kristof
Columnist, "The New York Times"; Pulitzer Prize–winning Journalist; Best-selling Author
Maria Krysan,
Professor & Head, Department of Sociology & the Institute of Government & Public Affairs, Univers...
Nour Kteily
Assistant Professor of Management and Organizations, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern U...
Maria Kumar
Founding President and CEO of Voto Latino
Viney Kumar
Winner, Google Science Fair 13-14 Age Category; Founder, Alwaysvin
Sarah Kunst
Founder & CEO, Proday
Bill Kurtis
Chicago's Own
Peggy Kusinski
Emmy Award–Winning Sports Reporter, NBC5 Chicago
Victoria La Mala
Singer & Songwriter
Logan LaHive
CEO, Belly
Emmanuel Lagarrigue
Senior Vice President, Buildings & Partner Business Units, Schneider Electric
Bun Lai
2013 James Beard Nominated Chef
Padma Lakshmi
Host, Top Chef; Author, "Love, Loss and What We Ate"
Erik Landemalm
Development Professional; Co-author, "Impossible Odds"
Katherine Lanpher
Writer, Journalist & Broadcaster
Richard Lariviere
President & CEO, The Field Museum
Jeanne Laskas
Author, "Hidden America: From Coal Miners to Cowboys, an Extraordinary Exploration of the Unseen ...
Diane Latiker
Founder & CEO, Kids Off The Block
Estelle Laughlin
Author & Survivor
Nicole Lazzaro
Founder & President, XEODesign
Tan Le
Founder & CEO, Emotiv
Ann Leary
Author
Lilly Ledbetter
Advocate & Author, "Grace & Grit"
Malcolm Lee
Nonresident Senior Fellow, John L. Thornton China Center, The Brookings Institution
Eric Lefkofsky
Co-Founder and CEO, Tempus, Co-Founder and Chairman, Groupon
Kenny Leon
Tony Award–Winning Director
Franklin Leonard
Founder & CEO, The Black List
Kelly Leonard
Executive Director, Insights & Applied Improvisation, The Second City
Ted Leonsis
Managing Partner, Revolution Growth; Founder, Chairman, Majority Owner & CEO, Monumental Sports &...
Robert Leshner
Founder & CEO of Safe Shepherd
Tracy Letts
Pulitzer Prize-winning Writer; Tony Award-winning Actor & Writer
Michal Lev-Ram
Senior Writer, Fortune
Max Levchin
Founder, HVF; Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer, PayPal; Chairman, Yelp
Daniel Levitin
Dean of Arts & Humanities, Minerva Schools at Keck Graduate Institute
Claire Lew
CEO, Know Your Company
John Lewandowski
BHSI Fellow; Founder & CEO, Disease Diagnostic Group
Edward Lewis
Author, "The Man from Essence"; Co-Founder, Essence Magazine
J. Lewis
Children's Poet & Laureate
Randy Lewis
Senior Vice President for Supply Chain & Logistics, Walgreens
Rep. Lewis
American Icon in the Civil Rights Movement; Author, "March: Book One" & "March: Book Two"
Anne Libera
Director of Comedy Studies, Columbia College Chicago & The Second City
Anne Libera
Director of Comedy Studies, The Second City & Columbia College Chicago
Leah Libresco
Blogger, Patheos.com
Jeff Lieberman
Artist, Scientist & Engineer
Valerie Lies
President & CEO, Donors Forum
Gabriel Lifton-Zoline
Chief Operating Officer, RYOT
Alan Lightman
Professor, Practice of the Humanities, MIT
Ben Lillie
Director, The Story Collider
Nancy Lindborg
President, United States Institute of Peace
Katie Linendoll
Technology Expert
Chris Lintott
Astronomer, Adler Planetarium & University of Oxford
Eric Liu
Co-Founder & U.S. Executive Director, Bayes Impact
Dr. Livio
Astrophysicist, Space Telescope Science Institute; Author
Phyllis Lockett
CEO, Leap Innovations
Kirsten Lodal
CEO & Co-Founder, LIFT
Malcolm London
Writer & Educator
Ronnie Lott
Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee
Captain Lovell,
Former Naval Aviator & NASA Astronaut
Amory Lovins
Chairman & Chief Scientist, The Rocky Mountain Institute
Mitch Lowe
President, Redbox
Adam Lowy
Founder & Executive Director, Move for Hunger
Lauren Lubin
Producer, "We Exist"
Nancy Lublin
Founder & CEO, Crisis Text Line
George Lucas
Founder, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
JJ Lueck
Software Engineer, Google
Susan Lund
Director of Research, McKinsey Global Institute
Amber Lyon
Investigative Journalist & Photographer
Dena M.D.,
Director, Laboratory of Neuroscience & Aging, University of California–San Francisco
Chirinjeev MBA
President & Chairman, New Generation Power
Jay MPH
CEO & Co-Founder, Sherpaa
Melissa MPH
Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology & Pediatrics, University of Chicago
Gerald MS
Service Chief, 3D Medical Applications Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Michael MSEE
Professor of Medicine (Cardiovascular) & Director of Cardiovascular Health Innovation, Stanford U...
Tiffany Ma
Lifestyle Personality
Rebecca MacKinnon
Co-founder, Global Voices Online; Senior Research Fellow, New America Foundation
Tod Machover
Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music & Media, MIT Media Lab
Marlo Mack
Writer, Podcaster & Mom
John Mackey
Co-Founder & CEO, Whole Foods Market
Elle Macpherson
Actress & Model; CEO, Elle Macpherson Intimates
William Macy
Actor & Director
Christian Madsbjerg
Founder & Partner, ReD Associates
Brooke Magnanti
Research Scientist & Author, "The Sex Myth"
Josipa Majic
Founder & CEO, Teddy the Guardian
Simon Majumdar
Author, Food & Travel Writer
Geeta Maker-Clark,
Clinical Assistant Professor & Coordinator of Integrative Medical Education, University of Chicag...
Jessica Malkin
CEO, Chicago Ideas
Matt Maloney
CEO, GrubHub Seamless
Roberta Mancino
Skydiver, BASE-jumper & Wingsuit Flyer
Aasif Mandvi
Actor, Writer & Comedian
Andrew Mangino
CEO, The Future Project; BHSI Fellow
Toni Maraviglia
Co-Founder, Eneza Education
Christopher Marcinkoski
CIW Artist-in-Residence; Director, PORT Urbanism
Ross Marquand
Actor
Brandon Marshall
Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears
Capricia Marshall
Former Chief of Protocol, U.S. State Department
Amy Martin
Founder, Digital Royalty
Xiuhtezcatl Martinez
Climate Activist, Hip-Hop Artist & Author
Jeffrey Marx
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist
Patricia Marx
Staff Writer, The New Yorker
Ameena Matthews
Violence Interrupter
Bruce Mau
Co-Founder, Massive Change Network
Rabiah Mayas
Associate Director, Science in Society, Northwestern University
Jason Mayden
Co-Founder & CEO, Super Heroic
Jason Mayden
Co-Founder & CEO, Accel Partners
Jason Mayden
Co-Founder & CEO, Super Heroic
Alejandro Maza
Founder & CEO, OPI
Terry Mazany
President & CEO, The Chicago Community Trust
Michelle McBride
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Mick McCabe
Chief Strategy Officer, Leo Burnett USA
Renetta McCann
Chief Talent Officer, Leo Burnett
William McCants,
Director, Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World, The Brookings Institution
Sen. McCaskill
Senator, Missouri
General McChrystal
Retired Four-Star General
Boogie McClarin
Hip-Hop Dancer; Faculty, Old Town School of Music
Sue McCloskey
Co-Founder, Fairlife
Lisa McCubbin
Author, "Mrs. Kennedy and Me"
Dr. McDonagh
Chair, Industrial Design Program, School of Art + Design, University of Illinois
Gaylon McDowell
Senior Assistant Minister, Christ Universal Temple; Host, "Truth Transforms"
Abby McEnany
Actor & Improvisor, The Second City
Dennis McGinn
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Joe McGinniss
Author, The Rogue: Searching For The Real Sarah Palin
Dr. McGraw
Co-author, "The Humor Code"
Dan McLaughlin
Golfer in Training, The Dan Plan LLC
Bethany McLean
Contributing Editor, Vanity Fair
Terry McMillan
Best-selling Author
DeRay Mckesson
Activist, Organizer & Educator
Joel Meares
National Content Editor, Time Out North America
Eliseo Medina
Labor Union Activist & Former Secretary-Treasurer, Service Employees International Union
Jigar Mehta
Co-Founder, 18 Days in Egypt
Leland Melvin
Former NFL Athlete; US Astronaut, Retired & Author
Alicia Menendez
Host, Fusion
James Vincent Meredith
Actor; Ensemble Member, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Susan Messing
Comedian, The Second City
Dr. Meyer
Senior Research Associate, Social & Business Psychology, University of Zurich
Francisco Migoya
Head Chef, Modernist Cuisine
Tiq Milan
Journalist; National Spokesperson, GLADD
David Miliband
President & CEO, International Rescue Committee; Former UK Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth...
BJ Miller
Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco
Briana Miller
Student, Trinity College
Ellen Miller
Co-Founder & Executive Director, The Sunlight Foundation
Stephen Miller
Obituary Writer, Bloomberg News
Debbie Millman
Host, "Design Matters"; Founder, Design Matters Media
Ben Milne
Founder & CEO, Dwolla
Rebecca Minkoff
Rebecca Minkoff Co-Founder & Creative Director, Rebecca Minkoff
Uri Minkoff
Co-Founder & CEO, Rebecca Minkoff
Fawzia Mirza
Actor & Writer
Clay Mitchell
Owner, The Mitchell Farm
Jerry Mitchell
Investigative Reporter, The Clarion Ledger
Alex Mittal
Co-Founder & CEO, FundersClub
Andrew Moddrell
CIW Artist-in-Residence; Director, PORT Urbanism
John Moe
Author & Radio Host
Jenan Mohajir
Director, Student Leadership, Interfaith Youth Core
Catherine Mohr
Director of Medical Research, Intuitive Surgical
Ayman Mohyeldin
Foreign Correspondent, NBC News; Anchor, MSNBC
T.S. Monk
Musician
James Moody
Co-Author, "The Sixth Wave: How to Succeed in a Resource-Limited World"
Graham Moore
Best-selling Author & Academy Award-Winning Screenwriter
Natalie Moore
South Side Reporter, WBEZ; Author, The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation
Carlos Moreira
Founder & CEO, WISeKey
Michael Morell
Former Deputy Director, CIA
Cindy Mori
VP, Booking & Talent Relations, Oprah Winfrey Network
Patty Morrissey
Director of Community, Crisis Text Line
Eva Moskowitz
Founder & CEO, Success Academy Charter Schools
Walt Mossberg
Technology Columnist, The Wall Street Journal
Melanie Mullan
Chief Program Officer, Turnaround for Children
Mike Mullen
Former Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff; Retired U.S. Navy Admiral
Dexter Mullins
Senior Producer, NowThis
Cassandra Murff
Student, DePaul University
David Murphy
Co-Founder & Former President & CEO, Better World Books
Mike Murphy
Political Media Consultant, Campaign Strategist & Partner, Revolution Agency
Charles Murray
Author of AEI Article, Are too many people going to college?
Kamau Murray
Founder, XS Tennis and Education Foundation
Kiel Murray
Development Executive, Pixar Animation Studios
Martha Murray,
Associate Professor, Orthopedic Surgery, Harvard Medical School
Vince Musi
Photographer, National Geographic
Kimbal Musk
Executive Director, The Kitchen Community
Ramez Naam
Computer Scientist & Author
Emily Nagoski,
Director, Wellness Education, Smith College
Barry Nalebuff
Professor, Yale School of Management; Co-Founder, Honest Tea
Mick Napier
Artistic Director, Annoyance Theatre
Dr. Narayanan
Assistant Professor of Computer Science, Princeton University
Niecy Nash
Actress, Comedian & Author
Rami Nashashibi
Executive Director, Inner-City Muslim Action Network
Naomi Natale
Founder & Director, One Million Bones
Matt Nathanson
Critically-acclaimed, Platinum-selling Artist
Ana Navarro
Political Commentator
Mark Neal
Professor of Black Popular Culture, Duke University
Jeff Nelson
Co-Founder & CEO, OneGoal
Raaja Nemani
Co-Founder & CEO, BucketFeet
Josh Nesbit
CEO, Medic Mobile
Sarah Newcomb
Behavioral Economist, Morningstar
Phyllis Newhouse
Co-Founder & CEO, Xtreme Solutions
Brad Newman
Founder & Chairman, GiveLocally.net
Rick Nielsen
Lead Guitarist, Cheap Trick
Alex Niemczewski
Co-founder & CEO, BallotReady
Alex Niemczewski
CEO, BallotReady
Karen Niemi
President & CEO, CASEL
Michel Nischan
Founder & CEO, Wholesome Wave
Britt Nolan
U.S. Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett
Edward Norton
Actor, Philanthropist & Co-Founder, CrowdRise
Tig Notaro
Writer & Stand-up Comic
Julie Novack
SVP Mobile Solutions, Vibes
Marisa Novara
Director, Metropolitan Planning Council
Chris Nowinski
Co-Founder & CEO, Concussion Legacy Foundation
Mayor Nutter
Mayor, City of Philadelphia
Soledad O'Brien
Anchor & Special Correspondent, CNN
Justice O'Connor
U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Charlie O'Donnell
Principal, First Round Capital
Eugene O'Donnell
Lecturer, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Elizabeth O'Herrin
Director of Programs, Pat Tillman Foundation
Caitria O'Neill
Co-founder, Recovers; BHSI Fellow
John OBE
Principal, Amaechi Performance
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Academy Award-winning Filmmaker & Journalist
Doug Oberhelman
Chairman & CEO, Caterpillar
Dr. Ochieng
Co-Founders, Lwala Community Alliance
Kennedy Odede
President & CEO, Shining Hope for Communities
Benro Ogunyipe
Accessibility Specialist, Illinois Department of Human Services
Alexis Ohanian
Co-Founder, Reddit, Founder, BreadPig
Angela Olinto
Homer J. Livingston Distinguished Service Professor; Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Un...
Funmi Olopade
Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Ch...
Jeanne Olson
Researcher, Designer & Educator
Parmy Olson
Staff Writer, "Forbes Magazine"
Hakeem Oluseyi,
Professor of Physics and Science, Florida Institute of Technology
Bennet Omalu
Neuropathologist, Professor & Author
Suze Orman
Author & Personal Finance Expert
Hugo Ortega
Co-Owner & Executive Chef, Hugo's, Backstreet Cafe & Caracol
Carlos Ortiz
Documentary Photographer
Reggie Osse
Host, Combat Jack Show
Kelly Oxford
Author, "Everything Is Perfect When You're A Liar"
Wendy Pabich
Founder & President, Water Futures
Will Packer
Founder & Producer, Will Packer Productions
Clarence Page
Nationally Syndicated Columnist, Chicago Tribune
Cristina Page
Author, “How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America”
Gwyneth Paltrow
Founder, goop; Academy Award-winning Actress; Author, "It's All Easy"
Farah Pandith
Adjunct Senior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
Kevin Pang
Reporter, Chicago Tribune
Jacques Panis
President, Shinola
Joseph Paradiso,
Professor, Media Arts & Sciences, MIT Media Lab
Eli Pariser
President, GOOD Worldwide; President, Upworthy
Jane Park
Director, Business Strategy & Technology, Customer Operations, ComEd
Mayor Parker
Mayor, City of Houston
Sam Parnia
Director of Resuscitation Research, State University of New York–Stony Brook
Hadi Partovi
CEO & Co-Founder, Code.org
Eboo Patel
Founder & President, Interfaith Youth Core
Michael Paterniti
Author, "The Telling Room"
Eva Paterson
President, Equal Justice Society
Jarrett Payton
Radio Host, Public Speaker & Philanthropist
Coya Paz
Assistant Professor, DePaul University; Artistic Director, Free Street Theatre
Monique Pean
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Fine Jewelry Designer
Deborah Peel,
Founder & Chair, Patient Privacy Rights ; Creator, International Summits on the Future of Health ...
Tal Peleg
Visual Artist
Javontay Peoples
Chicago Tech Academy High School, (12th Grade)
Nicholas Percoco
Chief Information Security Officer, Uptake & Founder, Thotcon
Jonathan Perelman
Vice President Agency Strategy & Industry Development, Buzzfeed
Jonah Peretti
Founder & CEO, BuzzFeed
Carmen Perez
Co-Founder, Justice League NYC; Executive Director, The Gathering for Justice
Johnny Perez
Safe Reentry Advocate, Urban Justice Center
Lucian Perkins
Filmmaker & Pulitzer Prize–winning Photographer
Bruce Perry
Senior Fellow, The ChildTrauma Academy
Tiffany Persons
Founder, Shine on Sierra Leone
Mark Peters
Deputy Laboratory Director for Programs, Argonne National Laboratory
David Peterson
Author, The Art of Language Invention
General Petraeus
Retired Four-Star General; Chairman & Partner, KKR Global Institute
Bre Pettis
Founder & CEO, MakerBot
Father Michael Pfleger
Activist & Senior Pastor, St. Sabina Catholic Church
Jules Pieri
Co-Founder & CEO, The Grommet
Ramona Pierson
CEO, Declara
Cheryl Pietra
Author, Gonzo Girl
Zak Piper
Co-Producer, The Interrupters
Sally Pipes
President and Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Research Institute
Ed Piskor
Cartoonist, "Hip Hop Family Tree"
Al Pittampalli
Founder, MCW Consulting; Author, “Persuadable: How Great Leaders Change Their Minds to Change the...
Bob Pittman
Chairman & CEO, Clear Channel
David Plouffe
2008 Obama Campaign Manager; Analyst, Bloomberg News
Ryan Poli
Executive Chef/Partner, Tavernita
Sam Polk
Author; Founder, Groceryships
Ramesh Ponnuru
Senior Editor, "National Review"
Ai-jen Poo
Director, National Domestic Workers Alliance; Co-Director, Caring Across Generations Campaign
Mike Porath
Founder & CEO, The Mighty
Jay Porter
President, Edelman Chicago
Zac Posen
Fashion Designer, Television Personality, Entrepreneur, Author
Jessica Posner
Co-Founder & COO, Shining Hope for Communities
Mike Posner
Singer, Songwriter & Producer
Josephine Potuto
Professor, University of Nebraska College of Law
Borris Powell
Fashion Designer
General Powell
Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and U.S. Secretary of State
Andre Power
DJ; Co-Founder & Creative Director, Soulection
AK Pradeep
Chairman, Nielsen NeuroFocus
Gigi Pritzker
Co-Founder, Madison Wells Media
J.B. Pritzker
Managing Partner, The Pritzker Group
Margot Pritzker
Founder & President, WomenOnCall.org
Erik Proulx
President, Fighting Monk, Inc
Shaifali Puri
CEO, Uplift
Ed Purver
Senior Designer, ESI Design
Questlove Questlove
Author, somethingtofoodabout; Co-Founder, The Roots; Musical Director, “The Tonight Show Star...
Joseph Quinlan
Managing Director & Chief Market Strategist, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management
Zoë Quinn
Game Developer & Activist
Amar Rajpurkar
Vice President & Chicago Office Leader, HNTB Corporation
James Ramsey
Founder & Owner, RAAD Studio
Urvashi Rangan
Executive Director, Food Safety & Sustainability Center, Consumer Reports
David Rank
Former Chargé d'Affaires (Acting Ambassador), US Embassy, Beijing
Phylicia Rashad
Actress & Director
Aza Raskin
Founder & CEO, Massive Health
Evan Ratliff
Founder/Editor, The Atavist
Ben Rattray
Founder & CEO, Change.org
Diana Rauner
President, Ounce of Prevention
Alexander Reben
Artist & Roboticist
Jonathan Reckford
CEO, Habitat For Humanity International
Eva Redei,
Professor, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Harper Reed
Former CTO, Obama for America; Founder, Modest
Mayor Reed
Mayor, City of Atlanta
Kathy Reichs
#1 "New York Times" Bestselling Author; Inspiration for FOX's "Bones"; Forensic Scientist
Antonio Reid
Chairman & CEO, Epic Records
Julian Reid
Producer, Writer, Arranger & Performer, The JuJu Exchange
James Reilly
Author, "Shake the World: It's Not About Finding a Job, It's About Creating a Life"
Michael Reinsdorf
President, Chicago Bulls & Chief Operating Officer, NBA Governor
Seth Reiss
Head Writer, The Onion
Eréndira Rendón
Community Organizer & Director of National Partnerships, The Resurrection Project
Michelle Rhee
Founder & CEO, StudentsFirst
Alex Rice
Co-Founder & CTO, HackerOne
Cecile Richards
President, Planned Parenthood Federation of America & Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Jen Richards
Writer & Activist
Jim Richardson
Photographer, National Geographic & TRAVELER Magazine
Tom Ricketts
Chairman, Chicago Cubs
Paul Rieckhoff
Executive Director & Founder, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America
Randy Rivera
Senior Vice President, BBVA
Kelly Rizzo
Host, "Eat Travel Rock"
Sarah Robb O'Hagan
CEO, Flywheel Sports & Founder, Extreme You
Jason Roberts
Co-Founder, Better Block Project
Claire Robinson
Host, 5 Ingredient Fix
Phoebe Robinson
Comedian; Author, “You Can’t Touch My Hair”
Mike Rocha
Social Entrepreneur & Cultural Activist
Judith Rodin
President, The Rockefeller Foundation
Janet Rodriguez
White House Correspondent, Univision & Emmy Award–Winning Journalist
Elizabeth Roe
Anderson & Roe Piano Duo
Adam Rogers
Articles Editor, "Wired"; Author, "Proof: The Science of Booze"
Desiree Rogers
CEO, Johnson Publishing Company; Chair, Choose Chicago
John Rogers
Lee J. Flory-Founder Chair in Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Lynn Rogers,
Director, Neuralplasticity Laboratory, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Jenn Rogien
Costume Designer, HBO's "GIRLS" & Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black"
Dina Rollman
Chief Compliance Officer, Green Thumb Industries; Partner, Sperling & Slater
Ed Romanoff
Musician
John Rood
President, Next Step Test Preparation
Brent Rose
Journalist, Filmmaker
Charlie Rose
Anchor & Executive Editor, "Charlie Rose" & "Charlie Rose: The Week"; Co-Anchor, "CBS This Morning"
Jon Rose
Founder & President, Waves for Water
Justin Rosenstein
Co-founder, Asana
Dan Rosensweig
President & CEO, Chegg
Phil Rosenthal
Business Columnist, Chicago Tribune
Hanna Rosin
Senior Editor, Atlantic Magazine; Senior Editor, Slate Magazine
Robert Rosner,
Professor, Astronomy & Astrophysics, University of Chicago
Kristi Ross
CEO & President, dough.com
Theodore Ross
Author, Am I A Jew?
Martine Rothblatt
Chairman & Co-CEO, United Therapeutics
Linda Rottenberg
Co-Founder & CEO, Endeavor
Cynthia Rowley
Designer & Entrepreneur
Deb Roy
Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Bluefin Labs
Rachel Roy
Founder, Rachel Roy
Robert Rubin
Co-chairman of the Council on Foreign Relations
Slava Rubin
Co-Founder & CEO, Indiegogo
Christian Rudder
Author, "Dataclysm"; Co-Founder & President, OkCupid
Daniel Ruettiger
Founder, Rudy International
Israel Ruiz
Executive Vice President & Treasurer, MIT
Victor Saad
Founder, Experience Institute
Peter Sagal
Host, NPR's "Wait, Wait... Don't Tell Me!"
Bob Saget
Actor & Comedian
Suzanne Sahloul
Founder & Executive Director, Syrian Community Network
Bozoma Saint John
Chief Brand Officer, Uber
Jason Salavon
CIW Artist in Residence
José Salgado
Astronomer, Adler Planetarium
Chuck Salter
Senior Editor, Fast Company
Robert Sampson
Henry Ford II Professor of the Social Sciences, Harvard University
Michael Sandel
Author, What Money Can't Buy: The Moral Limits of Markets
Robin Sanders
Spoken Word Artist
Warren Sapp
NFL Hall of Fame Defensive Tackle
Carolina Sarassa
Emmy Award–Winning Journalist, Univision
Reshma Saujani
Founder, Girls Who Code
Dan Savage
Columnist, "Savage Love"; Co-founder, It Gets Better Project
Jay Savsani
Founder, Meal Sharing
Deborah Sawyer
President & CEO, Environmental Design International, Inc.
Brent Schlender
Co-Author, "Becoming Steve Jobs"
Beth Schmidt
BHSI Fellow; Founder & Executive Chairman, Wishbone
Steve Schmidt
Vice Chairman Public Affairs, Edelman
Josh Schonwald
Author
Carl Schramm
President & CEO, The Kauffman Foundation
Ryan Schuessler
Journalist & Exhibition Developer, Field Museum
Paris Schutz
Political Correspondent, Chicago Tonight
Constance Schwartz-Morini
Co-Founder, SMAC Entertainment
Errol Schweizer
Executive Global Grocery Coordinator, Whole Foods Market
Janea Scott
Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Veronika Scott
Founder, The Empowerment Plan
Mike Scotti
Author, The Blue Cascade: A Memoir of Life After War and Former U.S. Marine
Nell Scovell
TV Writer, Producer & Author, Just the Funny Parts
Amanda Seales
Comedian & TV Host
Tracy Sefl
Senior Advisor, Ready for Hillary
Carl Segal
CEO, Roti Modern Mediterranean
Matthew Segal
Co-Founder, “Attn:” & “Our Time”
Nico Segal
Producer, Writer, Arranger & Performer, The JuJu Exchange & The Social Experiment
Jeff Semenchuk
Chief Innovation Officer, Hyatt Hotels
David Sengeh
Co-Founder & President, Global Minimum
Shaka Senghor
Director, Strategy & Innovation, #Cut50
Danielle Sered
Director, Common Justice
Marsha Serlin
Founder & CEO, United Scrap Metal
Lara Setrakian
Founder, "News Deeply"
Ramille Shah
Assistant Professor, Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University
Yusef Shakur
Activist; Entrepreneur; Organizer
Scott Shane
National Security Reporter, The New York Times; Author, Objective Troy: A Terrorist, a President ...
Michael Shannon
Academy Award-nominated Actor
Anna Shapiro
Theatre Director & Professor
Nitasha Sharma,
Associate Professor, African American Studies & Asian American Studies, Northwestern University
Tali Sharot
Associate Professor, Cognitive Neuroscience; Founder & Director, Affective Brain Lab, University ...
Reverend Sharpton
Founder & President, National Action Network
Rachel Shechtman
Founder, STORY
Mike Sheerin
Consulting Chef, Three Floyds Brewpub
Nicole Sherrod
Managing Director, Active Trading, TD Ameritrade
Tiffany Shlain
Filmmaker; Founder, The Webby Awards; Co-Founder, 50/50 Day & Character Day
Nadia Shouraboura,
Founder & CEO, Hointer
Mark K. Shriver
Senior Vice President, US Programs and Advocacy, Save the Children; President, Save the Children ...
Kavita Shukla
Inventor, Co-Founder & CEO, Fenugreen
Governor Shumlin
Governor, Vermont
M. Shyamalan
Screenwriter, Director, Producer; Author, “I Got Schooled”
Abby Sigal
SVP of Innovation, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
Susan Silberberg
Founder & Managing Director, CivicMoxie
Jason Silva
Filmmaker & Techno-Philosopher
Kim Simios
Chicago Office Managing Partner, Assurance Services, Ernst & Young LLP
Nedra Sims Fears
Executive Director, The Greater Chatham Initiative
David Sinclair,
Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School; Professor, University of New South Wales
Vineet Singal
Co-Founder & CEO, CareMessage; BHSI Fellow
Peter Singer
Ira W. DeCamp Professor of Bioethics, Princeton University
Gary Sinise
Founder, Gary Sinise Foundation
Dan Sinker
Director, Knight-Mozilla OpenNews
Michael Skolnik
Political Director, Office of Russell Simmons
Michael Slaby
Executive Director, Chicago Ideas
Francis Slakey
Professor of Physics, Georgetown University
Anne-Marie Slaughter
President & CEO, New America
George Slessman
CEO & Product Architect, IO
Gary Slutkin,
Founder & CEO, Cure Violence
Michael Small
President & CEO, Gogo
Elizabeth Smart
Activist, Elizabeth Smart Foundation
Brian Smith
Professional Photographer
Jamil Smith
Senior Writer, Rolling Stone
Judy Smith
Founder & President, Smith & Company
Megan Smith
Chief Technology Officer, United States
Sheldon Smith
Executive Director and Founder, The Dovetail Project
Steve Smith
Founder, Smith Devereaux Wines
Will Smith
CEO, Euclid Elements
Julie Smolyansky
CEO, Lifeway Foods; Founder, Test400k
Jay Smooth
Hip-Hop Scholar & Cultural Commentator
Rebecca Soffer
Co-Founder & CEO, Modern Loss
Christopher Soghoian
Principal Technologist and Senior Policy Analyst at the American Civil Liberties Union
Anastasia Somoza
Speaker & Consultant, International Disability Rights Advocate
Liz Sonders
Chief Investment Strategist, Charles Schwab
Hannah Song
President & CEO, Liberty in North Korea (LiNK)
Tom Sosnoff
Founder & CEO, tastytrade
Aminatou Sow
Digital Strategist & Cohost, "Call Your Girlfriend"
Emerson Spartz
CEO, Spartz Media
Mark Spates
President, Internet of Things Consortium
Charles Spence
Professor, Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Oxford University
Heather Sperling
Chicago Editor, Tasting Table
Sean Spicer
Chief Strategist & Communications Director, Republican National Committee
Kristin Spodobalski
Stuart Scott's Partner
Kory Stamper
Associate Editor & Lexicographer, Merriam-Webster
Bill Stanley
Director, Collections Center, The Field Museum of Natural History
Jessamyn Stanley
Author & Yoga Instructor
Barbara Starr
Pentagon Correspondent, CNN
Julia Stasch
President, MacArthur Foundation
Thomas Stat
Founder, Partner
Chris Stedman
Founding Executive Director, Humanist Center of Minnesota
Carolyn Steel
Architect; Writer; Food Urbanist
Andy Stefanovich
Chief Curator & Provocateur, Prophet
Richard Stengel
Managing Editor, TIME
Sam Sternberg
Assistant Professor, Biochemistry & Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University
Fisher Stevens
Actor, Director & Producer
Neil Stevenson
Disruptor & Innovator
Martha Stewart
Founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia
Melissa Stockwell
First Lieutenant (Retired) & Two-Time Paratriathlon World Champion
Steve Stoute
CEO & Founder, Translation
Michael Strautmanis
Chief Engagement Officer, Obama Foundation
Bill Strickland
President & CEO, Manchester Bidwell Corporation
Cole Stryker
Author
Krishna Subramanian
Co-Founder, Captiv8 & Team in Residence
Kayt Sukel
Author, "This Is Your Brain on Sex"
Jim Sullivan
Vice President, Discovery, AbbVie
Kate Sullivan
Journalist
Tereasa Surratt
Senior Partner & Global Group Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather
Dana Suskind
Author, Thirty Million Words: Building a Child's Brain; Professor, Surgery & Pediatrics, Universi...
Ron Suskind
Senior Fellow, Center for Ethics, Harvard University
Lisa Swayze
New York Times Best-Selling Author
Julia Sweeney
Author & Performer
Maida Swenson-Fortune
Founder, Cureeo.com
Kara Swisher
Co-Executive Editor and Co-Founder at Recode
Tom Szaky
Founder & CEO, TerraCycle
Dr. Tallis
Lead Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
Deborah Tannen
Author; Professor, Linguistics, Georgetown University
Rudolph Tanzi,
Professor, Neurology, Harvard Medical School; Director, Genetics & Aging Research Unit, Massachus...
Nneka Tapia,
Executive Director, Cook County Department of Corrections
Jill Tarter
Bernard M. Oliver Chair, SETI Institute
Elizabeth Taylor
Literary Editor, Chicago Tribune
Garland Taylor
Sculptor
Halle Tecco
Founder & Managing Director, Rock Health
Penn Teller
Skeptics, Libertarians & Magicians with a Psychotic Twist
Nancy Temple
Partner, Katten & Temple LLP
Karen Tenkhoff
Development Partner, Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dan Tentler
Founder, AtenLabs
Heather Terhune
Executive Chef, Sable Kitchen & Bar
Jennifer Tescher
President & CEO, The Center for Financial Services Innovation
Rick Tetzeli
Co-Author, "Becoming Steve Jobs"; Executive Editor, "Fast Company"
Bob Tewksbury
Performance Consultant
Paul Thacker
Athlete, FOX
Peter Thiel
Managing Partner, Founders Fund
Scott Thomas
Founder, The Noun Project
Anne Thompson
Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent, NBC News
Don Thompson
Founder & CEO, Cleveland Avenue LLC; Former President & CEO, McDonald’s Corporation
Elizabeth Thompson
President, Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education
Liz Thompson
CIW YOU(th) Speaker; President, The Cleveland Avenue Foundation for Education
John Thorn
Official Historian, Major League Baseball
Peter Thum
Founder & CEO, Liberty United & Fonderie 47
Baratunde Thurston
Founder, Cultivated Wit
Charity Tillemann-Dick
Soprano, Composer & Writer
Glenn Tilton
Chairman of the Midwest, JPMorgan Chase
Wilson To
Microsoft Imagine Cup Winner, 2011
Carlos Tortolero
Founder & President, National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago
Touré Touré
Iconic Journalist & Culture Critic
Will Tracy
Editor, The Onion
Marty Travis
Farmer, Spence Farm
Gregg Treinish
Founder & Executive Director, Adventurers and Scientists for Conservation; National Geographic Em...
Tererai Trent
Humanitarian; Author; Founder,
Tererai Trent International
Patrick Tucker
Technology Editor, Defense One
Antoinette Tuff
Founder & CEO, Kids on the Move for Success
Glen Tullman
CEO, Allscripts
Howard Tullman
CEO, 1871
Karen Tumulty
National Political Correspondent, The Washington Post
Nick Turner
President, Vera Institute of Justice
David Turnley
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer
Doug Tuthill
President, Step Up for Students
Satya Twena
Founder, CEO & Creative Director, Sola Mer, Satya Twena & Makins Hats
Samuel Ulloa
Co-Founder, Listo
Doug Ulman
President & CEO, LIVESTRONG
Anna Valencia
City Clerk, City of Chicago
Seena Valli
Senior Writer & Sports Editor, The Onion
Robert Vamosi
Senior Analyst, Morcana Corporation
Natalie Vanatta
Assistant Professor, Army Cyber Institute, United States Military Academy (West Point)
Chris Vanderhook
Chief Operating Officer, Myspace
Tim Vanderhook
Chief Executive Officer, Myspace
Laura Vanderkam
Author, I Know How She Does It
Jose Vargas
Founder & CEO, Define American
Katherine Vargas
Director, Hispanic Media, White House
Martin Varsavsky
Executive Chairman, Prelude Fertility; Founder & Chairman, Fon
Alejandro Velez
Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Back to the Roots
Ali Velshi
Global Affairs & Economics Analyst; Former Host of “Ali Velshi on Target” on Al Jazeera America
Ali Velshi
Anchor, MSNBC & Business Correspondent, NBC News & MSNBC
Sudhir Venkatesh
Research Manager, Facebook
J. Venter,
Co-Founder, Executive Chairman & CEO, Human Longevity, Inc.
Angelo Vermeulen
Founder & Director, Space Ecologies Art and Design
Tess Vigeland
Independent Writer & Producer
Leida Villegas
Dance Manager, Choreographer & Youth Arts Educator
Nina Vinik
Program Director, Gun Violence Prevention Program, The Joyce Foundation
Ami Vitale
Photojournalist, National Geographic Magazine
Chris Voss
Founder & CEO, The Black Swan Group; Author, "Never Split The Difference"
Stephanie Wade
Senior Program Manager & Designer, Innovation Teams, Bloomberg Philanthropies
Vivek Wadhwa
Entrepreneur Turned Academic
Alex Wagner
Host & Contributor, MSNBC
Zach Wahls
Marriage Equality Advocate
Lena Waithe
Emmy Award–Winning Writer & Actress
Alaka Wali
Curator of North American Anthropology, Field Museum
Lucianne Walkowicz
Astronomer, Adler Planetarium
Mike Walsh
Author
Amy Walter
National Editor, "The Cook Political Report"
LeeAnne Walters
Flint, Michigan Water Crisis Activist
Clemantine Wamariya
Yale University, Class of 2013
Abby Wambach
FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion
Rose Wang
Co-founder & CEO, Chirps
Philip Warburg
Author, Harvest the Sun
Rob Warden
Co-Founder & Executive Director, Center on Wrongful Convictions
Joel Warner
Co-author, "The Humor Code"
James Warren
Chicago Editor, The Daily Beast/Newsweek
Mayor Warren
Mayor, City of Fontana
Padmasree Warrior
Chief Technology & Strategy Officer (CTSO), Cisco Systems
Dennis Watkins
Award-winning Magician
Adam Waytz
Professor, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University
Alison Weber
Chief Innovations Officer, Levy Restaurants
David Weissman
Producer & Director of the Critically Acclaimed Documentary "We Were Here"
Jack Welch
Executive Chairman, Jack Welch Management Institute; Former Chairman & CEO, GE
Suzy Welch
Best-selling Author
Leo Welch,
Guitarist & Vocalist
Harry Weller
General Partner, NEA
Elaine Welteroth
Editor-in-Chief, Teen Vogue
Crissle West
Writer & Co-Host, "The Read"
Tim Westergren
Founder & Chief Strategy Officer, Pandora Media, Inc.
John Wetzel
Secretary, Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
Gary White
Executive Director & Co-Founder, Water.org
Cindy Whitehead
Co-Founder & CEO, Sprout Pharmaceuticals
Billie Whitehouse
Founder & CEO, Wearable Experiments
Edith Widder
CEO & Senior Scientist, Ocean Research & Conservation Association
Mike Wilbon
Co-Host, "Pardon The Interruption"; NBA Analyst, ABC & ESPN; Columnist, ESPN.com & ESPN Chicago
Alexis Wilkinson
President, Harvard Lampoon
Kevin Willer
President & CEO, Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center
Andy Williams
CEO, Medicine Man Production Corporation
Camiella Williams
Trustee, Prairie State College; National Organizer, Fight4AFuture Network
Diana Williams
Content Strategist, LucasFilm Story Group
Juan Williams
National Political Correspondent & Author
Ricardo Williams
National Community Coordinator & Violence Interrupter
Eli Williamson
Director, Veterans Program, The McCormick Foundation
Robin Willner
VP of Global Communities Initiatives, IBM Corporation
Mark Wilson
Senior Writer, Fast Company; Host, Tech Summit
Otis Wilson
Former NFL Linebacker
Tom Wilson
CEO, The Allstate Corporation & Allstate Insurance Company
Dave Winfield
Major League Baseball Executive & National Baseball Hall of Fame member
Cameron Winklevoss
Principals, Winklevoss Capital Management
Bayard Winthrop
Founder & CEO, American Giant
Brigitta Witt
Global Head, Corporate Responsibility, Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Jessica Wohl
Reporter, Advertising Age
Alison Wolf
Professor, King's College London
Lev Wood
Captain, Secret Compass
Agustina Woodgate
Interdisciplinary Artist
Jamila Woods
Singer, Songwriter & Poet
Luke Woods
Vice President & Head of Design, Facebook
Alison Wright
National Geographic Photographer
Lola Wright
Spiritual Director, Bodhi Spiritual Center
Robin Wright
Joint Fellow, U.S. Institute of Peace & Woodrow Wilson Center
Sheryl WuDunn
Pulitzer Prize–winning Journalist & Best-selling Author
Jut Wynne
Ecologist, Explorer & Research Scientist, The SETI Institute
Rachael Yamagata
Musician
Jessica Yellin
Former Chief White House Correspondent, CNN
Ji Yi
Social Media Host, Windy City Live
Tom Yorton
CEO, Second City Communications
Chris Young
Chef-Scientist & Co-Author, Modernist Cuisine
Odette Yousef
North Side Bureau Reporter, WBEZ
Bassem Youssef
Comedian & TV Host
Zia Yusuf
Founder & CEO, Streetline
Juan Zarate
Senior National Security Analyst, CBS News; Chairman & Co-Founder, Financial Integrity Network
Sam Zell
Founder & Chairman, Equity Group Investments and Equity International
Micah Zenko
Whitehead Senior Fellow, Chatham House
Leslie Ziegler
Designer & Writer
Philip Zimbardo,
President, Heroic Imagination Project
Mary Zimmerman
Northwestern University, Lookingglass & Goodman Theatres
David Zipper
Partner, 1776 Seed Fund; Fellow, German Marshall Fund
Martha Zuniga
Teen Adviser, Girl Up
Lesley de Souza
Conservation Biologist
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