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.

Jay Smooth

Melissa Clark

Ally Love

Heidi Stevens

Kelly Grier

Debbie Millman

Jane Harman

Kavita Shukla

Andrew Barber

Laura Desmond

Monica Eng

Mark Caro

Carol Coletta

Charles Duhigg

Ji Suk Yi

Kelly Leonard

Kevin Pang

Maryam Saleh

David Gregory

Sonny Garg

Tricia Eck

Touré

Odette Yousef

Katherine Lanpher

Amanda Seales

Laura Washington

Bob Morgan

Tom Brokaw

Michal Lev-Ram

Ben Johnson

Jessica Wohl

Brian Babylon

Jessica Yellin

Eddie Aruzza

Poppy Harlow

Paris Schutz

Chuck Salter

Janet Bodnar

Jessica Grose

Padma Lakshmi

Michael Slaby

Kelly Rizzo

Dave Holmes

Jud Snyder

Anil Dash

Meredith Stricker

Barbara Starr

Anne Thompson

Robin Givhan

Eve Ewing

Terri Hemmert

Molly Wood

Jessica Malkin

David Brancaccio

Jenan Mohajir

Felicia Lawrence

Mats Lederhausen

Charles Jenkins

Dan Abrams

Sandee Kastrul

Dustin Yellin

Linda Lutton

Jon Greenberg

Bethany McLean

Anne Munition

Phylicia Rashad

Jason Henrichs

Keisha Howard

Steve Edwards

Ana Belaval

Ted Fishman

Nick Turner

Bobby Ghosh

Shannon Heffernan

Geoff Brigham

Cheryl Corley

Andee Harris

Eric Becker

Louisa Chu

Val Warner

Desiree Rogers

Richard Stengel

Campbell Brown

Jessica Clemons

Peggy Kusinski

Dorri McWhorter

Adam Benforado

Myra Greene

Soledad O'Brien

Karen Jordan

Neil Stevenson

Francis Slakey

Valerie Lies

Lola Wright

Carolina Sarassa

Ali Velshi

Gigi Pritzker

Lin Brehmer

Kate Grossman

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The History of Slavery in Objects

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Ayana Elizabeth Johnson Focuses on Finding Solutions for Ocean Conservation

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Howard Schultz on the State of Our Nation

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