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.

Anil Dash

Mats Lederhausen

Jessica Clemons

Campbell Brown

Ali Velshi

Eve Ewing

Soledad O'Brien

Rachel Bronson

Brian Babylon

Odette Yousef

Lola Wright

Mark Caro

Stephanie Gosk

Francis Slakey

Kate Sullivan

Cheryl Corley

David Gregory

Lin Brehmer

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Jessica Yellin

Gretchen Carlson

Desiree Rogers

Kelly Rizzo

Jud Snyder

Phylicia Rashad

Deborah Douglas

Ben Johnson

Paris Schutz

Carol Coletta

Bob Morgan

Gigi Pritzker

Kevin Pang

Jenan Mohajir

Charles Duhigg

Brandis Friedman

Ted Fishman

Anne Thompson

Jason Henrichs

Kate Grossman

Bobby Ghosh

Bethany McLean

Sonny Garg

Michal Lev-Ram

Robin Givhan

Barbara Starr

Terri Hemmert

David Brancaccio

Myra Greene

Adam Benforado

Heidi Stevens

Janet Bodnar

Touré

Tom Brokaw

Sandee Kastrul

Meredith Stricker

Melissa Clark

Linda Lutton

Peggy Kusinski

Nick Turner

Andee Harris

Celeste Headlee

Mellody Hobson

Jessica Wohl

Ji Suk Yi

Laura Desmond

Dorri McWhorter

Mick Dumke

Kelly Grier

Maryam Saleh

Dan Abrams

Jane Harman

Carolina Sarassa

Ana Belaval

Val Warner

Anne Munition

Kavita Shukla

Debbie Millman

Molly Wood

Dustin Yellin

Jamil Smith

Jessica Malkin

Amanda Seales

Shannon Heffernan

Karen Jordan

Geoff Brigham

Chuck Salter

Charles Jenkins

Andrew Barber

Monica Eng

Felicia Lawrence

Laura Washington

Kelly Leonard

Jay Smooth

Cindy Mori

Keisha Howard

Ally Love

Richard Stengel

Dave Holmes

Valerie Lies

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