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.

Michal Lev-Ram

Gigi Pritzker

Terri Hemmert

Brian Babylon

Robin Givhan

Val Warner

Anil Dash

Brandis Friedman

Touré

Cheryl Corley

Phylicia Rashad

David Brancaccio

Charles Duhigg

Anne Munition

Carol Coletta

Jud Snyder

Ted Fishman

Kate Sullivan

Debbie Millman

Geoff Brigham

Eric Becker

Michael Arndt

Dave Holmes

Mark Caro

Andrew Barber

Ji Suk Yi

Mellody Hobson

Kelly Rizzo

Barbara Starr

Charles Jenkins

Nick Turner

Jon Greenberg

Bob Morgan

Bethany McLean

Kelly Leonard

Felicia Lawrence

Monica Eng

Sandee Kastrul

Michael Slaby

Lin Brehmer

Kelly Grier

Karen Jordan

David Gregory

Ana Belaval

Chuck Salter

Melissa Clark

Desiree Rogers

Jessica Clemons

Poppy Harlow

Laura Desmond

Ally Love

Kate Grossman

Ben Johnson

Andee Harris

Heidi Stevens

Neil Stevenson

Katherine Lanpher

Campbell Brown

Eve Ewing

Padma Lakshmi

Paris Schutz

Richard Stengel

Stephanie Gosk

Jane Harman

Mick Dumke

Eddie Aruzza

Dustin Yellin

Jenan Mohajir

Mats Lederhausen

Laura Washington

Jason Henrichs

Maryam Saleh

Lola Wright

Deborah Douglas

Peggy Kusinski

Adam Benforado

Valerie Lies

Jessica Yellin

Soledad O'Brien

Janet Bodnar

Gretchen Carlson

Linda Cohn

Linda Lutton

Odette Yousef

Sonny Garg

Dorri McWhorter

Myra Greene

Keisha Howard

Tricia Eck

Steve Edwards

Molly Wood

Anne Thompson

Bobby Ghosh

Amanda Seales

Dan Abrams

Kavita Shukla

Jay Smooth

Louisa Chu

Tom Brokaw

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