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.

Katherine Lanpher

Geoff Brigham

Jamil Smith

Molly Wood

Robin Givhan

Jud Snyder

Valerie Lies

Kelly Grier

Kelly Leonard

Andee Harris

Bobby Ghosh

Anne Thompson

Keisha Howard

Laura Washington

Paris Schutz

Kavita Shukla

Gigi Pritzker

Deborah Douglas

Carol Coletta

Shannon Heffernan

Jenan Mohajir

Mellody Hobson

Louisa Chu

Mick Dumke

Ji Suk Yi

Jane Harman

Felicia Lawrence

Neil Stevenson

Michal Lev-Ram

Tricia Eck

Jay Smooth

Touré

Mark Caro

Ana Belaval

Dan Abrams

Jessica Malkin

Soledad O'Brien

Heidi Stevens

Steve Edwards

Bob Morgan

Francis Slakey

Dave Holmes

Rachel Bronson

Nick Turner

Kate Sullivan

Lola Wright

Laura Desmond

Peggy Kusinski

Carolina Sarassa

Linda Lutton

Andrew Barber

Tom Brokaw

Chuck Salter

Michael Slaby

Charles Duhigg

Celeste Headlee

Jessica Grose

Jessica Clemons

Poppy Harlow

Michael Arndt

Val Warner

Linda Cohn

Jason Henrichs

David Brancaccio

Charles Jenkins

Adam Benforado

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Desiree Rogers

Eric Becker

Terri Hemmert

Ali Velshi

Jessica Wohl

Sandee Kastrul

Janet Bodnar

Maryam Saleh

Brandis Friedman

Ally Love

Odette Yousef

Barbara Starr

Anil Dash

Brian Babylon

Eve Ewing

Jessica Yellin

Karen Jordan

Stephanie Gosk

Kate Grossman

Phylicia Rashad

Melissa Clark

Amanda Seales

Mats Lederhausen

Lin Brehmer

Myra Greene

Campbell Brown

Debbie Millman

Kevin Pang

Bethany McLean

Ben Johnson

Dorri McWhorter

Cindy Mori

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