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.

Ali Velshi

Jud Snyder

Sandee Kastrul

Chuck Salter

Tricia Eck

Keisha Howard

Dave Holmes

Charles Jenkins

Ana Belaval

Lola Wright

Eve Ewing

Desiree Rogers

Terri Hemmert

Sonny Garg

Dan Abrams

Mick Dumke

Bethany McLean

Linda Lutton

Deborah Douglas

Nick Turner

Anne Munition

Poppy Harlow

Adam Benforado

Jenan Mohajir

Amanda Seales

Monica Eng

Linda Cohn

Louisa Chu

Soledad O'Brien

Kelly Grier

Molly Wood

Dorri McWhorter

Richard Stengel

Laura Washington

Jon Greenberg

Carol Coletta

Jane Harman

Meredith Stricker

Cindy Mori

Katherine Lanpher

Gretchen Carlson

Brian Babylon

David Brancaccio

Dustin Yellin

Debbie Millman

Jay Smooth

Michal Lev-Ram

Steve Edwards

Myra Greene

Kate Grossman

Maryam Saleh

Kevin Pang

Mats Lederhausen

Campbell Brown

Shannon Heffernan

Jessica Malkin

Cheryl Corley

Val Warner

Stephanie Gosk

Mark Caro

Karen Jordan

Charles Duhigg

Valerie Lies

Robin Givhan

Gigi Pritzker

Jessica Grose

Celeste Headlee

Rachel Bronson

David Gregory

Felicia Lawrence

Laura Desmond

Andrew Barber

Janet Bodnar

Heidi Stevens

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Phylicia Rashad

Mellody Hobson

Paris Schutz

Kelly Leonard

Barbara Starr

Jessica Yellin

Eric Becker

Ted Fishman

Peggy Kusinski

Carolina Sarassa

Michael Arndt

Jessica Clemons

Anil Dash

Geoff Brigham

Eddie Aruzza

Ally Love

Michael Slaby

Ben Johnson

Bobby Ghosh

Padma Lakshmi

Anne Thompson

Melissa Clark

Ji Suk Yi

Jessica Wohl

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