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.

Nick Turner

Dan Abrams

Kate Grossman

Laura Washington

Louisa Chu

Jessica Yellin

Poppy Harlow

Eric Becker

Peggy Kusinski

Jamil Smith

Bob Morgan

Adam Benforado

Gretchen Carlson

Cindy Mori

Anne Thompson

Robin Givhan

Carol Coletta

Brandis Friedman

Jessica Clemons

Francis Slakey

Desiree Rogers

Heidi Stevens

Keisha Howard

Lola Wright

Sonny Garg

David Gregory

Steve Edwards

Soledad O'Brien

Geoff Brigham

Neil Stevenson

Katherine Lanpher

Barbara Starr

Meredith Stricker

Bethany McLean

Kelly Grier

Ally Love

Molly Wood

Linda Lutton

Felicia Lawrence

Anne Munition

Richard Stengel

Odette Yousef

Tricia Eck

Charles Jenkins

Mats Lederhausen

Campbell Brown

Sandee Kastrul

Jessica Malkin

Anil Dash

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Phylicia Rashad

Eve Ewing

Mick Dumke

Valerie Lies

Michael Slaby

Val Warner

Chuck Salter

Kate Sullivan

Dustin Yellin

Stephanie Gosk

Eddie Aruzza

Mark Caro

Deborah Douglas

Gigi Pritzker

Debbie Millman

Jessica Grose

Dave Holmes

Mellody Hobson

Jud Snyder

Jessica Wohl

Celeste Headlee

Jenan Mohajir

Janet Bodnar

Karen Jordan

Carolina Sarassa

Amanda Seales

David Brancaccio

Kavita Shukla

Brian Babylon

Jane Harman

Rachel Bronson

Shannon Heffernan

Bobby Ghosh

Kelly Leonard

Cheryl Corley

Terri Hemmert

Linda Cohn

Charles Duhigg

Monica Eng

Kevin Pang

Jay Smooth

Andrew Barber

Andee Harris

Maryam Saleh

Dorri McWhorter

Ben Johnson

Paris Schutz

Ana Belaval

Laura Desmond

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