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.

Lola Wright

Jessica Yellin

Celeste Headlee

Poppy Harlow

Keisha Howard

Jessica Malkin

Paris Schutz

Linda Cohn

Andee Harris

Bethany McLean

Jenan Mohajir

Molly Wood

Campbell Brown

Padma Lakshmi

Brandis Friedman

Mark Caro

Tricia Eck

Anil Dash

Katherine Lanpher

Rachel Bronson

Anne Munition

Tom Brokaw

Amanda Seales

Mick Dumke

Linda Lutton

Adam Benforado

Michael Arndt

Jason Henrichs

Louisa Chu

Kavita Shukla

Sandee Kastrul

Jessica Grose

Mats Lederhausen

David Gregory

Eve Ewing

Dave Holmes

Jay Smooth

Ji Suk Yi

Bob Morgan

Myra Greene

Terri Hemmert

Valerie Lies

Mellody Hobson

Neil Stevenson

Karen Jordan

Val Warner

Stephanie Gosk

David Brancaccio

Dan Abrams

Robin Givhan

Kevin Pang

Richard Stengel

Jamil Smith

Shannon Heffernan

Francis Slakey

Kelly Rizzo

Nick Turner

Laura Desmond

Soledad O'Brien

Eddie Aruzza

Barbara Starr

Kate Grossman

Andrew Barber

Maryam Saleh

Ted Fishman

Cheryl Corley

Cindy Mori

Bobby Ghosh

Michal Lev-Ram

Eric Becker

Janet Bodnar

Ali Velshi

Geoff Brigham

Gretchen Carlson

Touré

Jessica Wohl

Meredith Stricker

Ana Belaval

Laura Washington

Charles Jenkins

Ally Love

Melissa Clark

Jud Snyder

Carol Coletta

Anne Thompson

Debbie Millman

Brian Babylon

Monica Eng

Desiree Rogers

Carolina Sarassa

Lin Brehmer

Kelly Leonard

Jessica Clemons

Sonny Garg

Phylicia Rashad

Heidi Stevens

Deborah Douglas

Steve Edwards

Dustin Yellin

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