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.

Michael Slaby

Jessica Clemons

Laura Desmond

Chuck Salter

Stephanie Gosk

Terri Hemmert

Valerie Lies

Myra Greene

Jason Henrichs

Paris Schutz

Dan Abrams

Dorri McWhorter

Ben Johnson

Tricia Eck

Maryam Saleh

Steve Edwards

Jessica Yellin

Dave Holmes

Kelly Rizzo

Barbara Starr

Kate Sullivan

Felicia Lawrence

Deborah Douglas

Monica Eng

Kavita Shukla

Michael Arndt

Anil Dash

Bobby Ghosh

Gigi Pritzker

Lola Wright

Carol Coletta

Karen Jordan

Kelly Leonard

Tom Brokaw

Brandis Friedman

Jessica Malkin

Robin Givhan

Sonny Garg

Kate Grossman

Anne Munition

Linda Lutton

Nick Turner

Geoff Brigham

Linda Cohn

Janet Bodnar

Odette Yousef

Cheryl Corley

Neil Stevenson

Andrew Barber

Ji Suk Yi

Kelly Grier

David Brancaccio

Francis Slakey

Melissa Clark

Lin Brehmer

Carolina Sarassa

Kevin Pang

Brian Babylon

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Jay Smooth

Mark Caro

Bob Morgan

Michal Lev-Ram

Jessica Wohl

Touré

Louisa Chu

Peggy Kusinski

Richard Stengel

Adam Benforado

Mellody Hobson

Meredith Stricker

Jane Harman

Campbell Brown

Jud Snyder

Ali Velshi

Jenan Mohajir

Shannon Heffernan

Heidi Stevens

Soledad O'Brien

Bethany McLean

Val Warner

Eve Ewing

Jamil Smith

Dustin Yellin

Ana Belaval

Keisha Howard

Jessica Grose

Mick Dumke

Padma Lakshmi

Sandee Kastrul

Rachel Bronson

Cindy Mori

Charles Jenkins

Debbie Millman

Mats Lederhausen

Gretchen Carlson

Laura Washington

Eric Becker

Desiree Rogers

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Bring Your Imagination to Life

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Hebru Brantley on the Story Behind Nevermore

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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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