A Baton Rouge Story with New Orleans Roots
I see Cheri Morial as the kind of person who moves through public life like a strong current beneath calm water. She is deeply connected to a famous New Orleans family, yet her own identity stands on its own foundation of work, service, and steady leadership. Her story begins in New Orleans and stretches into Baton Rouge, where she built a life shaped by community development, business leadership, and public service.
Cheri Morial is widely known through her family name, but that name is only the first layer. She is also known as Cheri Ausberry, an experienced professional with a long career in banking, community development, healthcare relations, and utility customer service. She studied at Ursuline Academy of New Orleans, graduated from Xavier University of Louisiana, and later earned an Executive MBA from the University of New Orleans. Those details matter because they show a pattern that runs through her life: preparation, discipline, and forward motion.
In 2001, she moved from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. That move was more than a change of address. It became the bridge between inherited civic legacy and personal accomplishment. In Baton Rouge, she found room to grow into a public leader in her own right.
The Family Name and the Family Circle
The Morial family carries a strong place in Louisiana history, and Cheri sits inside that circle as one of the children of Sybil Haydel Morial and Ernest Nathan “Dutch” Morial. Her father was New Orleans’ first Black mayor, and her mother was a civil rights leader, educator, and author. That kind of family background can feel like standing under a cathedral ceiling. The space is grand, but it also asks a lot of the people inside it.
Cheri is one of several siblings. Her family includes Marc H. Morial, Julie Claire Morial, Jacques E. Morial, and Monique G. Morial. Publicly, Marc is the most widely recognized sibling, known for his political and civic leadership. Julie Claire Morial is identified as a medical director. Jacques E. Morial is described as a business and political consultant. Monique G. Morial is identified as a judge. Together, they form a family that has contributed to public life through law, medicine, politics, business, and civic action.
Her husband is Verge Ausberry. Their marriage, beginning in 2001, places her personal life in another public sphere, one linked to Louisiana athletics and administration. Their sons, Austin Ausberry and Jaiden Ausberry, are also part of that next generation. Both are known publicly through their college football paths. That alone says something about the family: it is large enough to carry legacy, but still close enough to individual dreams.
Cheri is also connected to a wider network of relatives named in family memorials and public tributes, including Kemah Morial West, Martine Cruz, Mathieu Cruz, Mason Morial, Margeaux Morial, Austin Ausberry, Jaiden Ausberry, and Audrey West. These names matter because they show that her family is not only a historic surname but a living web of children, cousins, and descendants moving through modern life.
One especially meaningful relationship is her bond as goddaughter to Dr. Norman C. Francis. That connection places her within another powerful New Orleans tradition of leadership, education, and public stewardship. In families like this, mentorship is often as important as bloodline.
A Career Built in Practical Layers
Flash did not define Cheri Morial’s career. She constructed it for utility. Her career distinguishes out because of that. She worked in community development banking, government relations, and healthcare before becoming Entergy’s customer service leader. She has assisted with first houses, business launches, weatherization, and storm recovery. It may not make headlines, but that job affects daily lives.
She also led community and finance organizations. The first woman to chair the Downtown Development District board, she previously chaired the Capital Area United Way and Finance Authority boards. That last detail matters. Breaking barriers doesn’t necessarily involve drums and fireworks. Being the first woman to sit in a long-occupied seat can be silent.
She chairs TruFund Financial Services’ Louisiana advisory board and is interested in civic efforts on social justice, women’s economic empowerment, entrepreneurship, education, and workforce development. Her work has won leadership, service, and diversity accolades. These awards imply a deliberate career path. Finance, policy, and people seem to have surrounded her for years.
Her career also carries a certain weight. It goes beyond titles. The issue is trust. The currency of community growth is trust. The bridge in finance is trust. Civic leadership is all about trust.
Public Recognition and Work Achievements
Cheri Morial’s success comes from action, not self-promotion. She has served on boards that need judgment, patience, and stamina as an influential Baton Rouge woman. She worked in economic development, community outreach, and public accountability.
Her cross-sector expertise is a strength. She worked in banking, healthcare community relations, utility customer service, and nonprofit governance. That range demonstrates versatility. Not all leaders can smoothly go from boardroom to neighborhood meeting to public campaign.
Her public service includes cultural and educational support. She has supported youth and local talent programs in arts and civic settings. Her career is like a well-kept garden. Although accolades and positions are apparent, the roots go deeper into housing, education, business growth, and community resiliency.
Recent Public Presence
Cheri Morial continues to appear in civic and family-centered public moments. She has been visible in events tied to her mother’s passing, family tributes, church and memorial life, United Way activity, and local outreach in Baton Rouge. She remains part of a public family narrative that still matters in Louisiana.
Her presence in recent years shows continuity. She is not a figure frozen in an earlier era. She is active in a present tense. That matters. Public lives can fade if they stop moving, but hers still has momentum.
FAQ
Who is Cheri Morial?
Cheri Morial is a Louisiana civic and community leader connected to the Morial family of New Orleans. She is also known as Cheri Ausberry and has worked in banking, community development, healthcare relations, and utility customer service.
Who are Cheri Morial’s parents?
Her parents are Sybil Haydel Morial and Ernest Nathan “Dutch” Morial. Her mother was a civil rights leader and educator, and her father was New Orleans’ first Black mayor.
Who are Cheri Morial’s siblings?
Her siblings include Marc H. Morial, Julie Claire Morial, Jacques E. Morial, and Monique G. Morial. Each has been publicly associated with leadership or professional work.
Who is Cheri Morial married to?
Cheri Morial is married to Verge Ausberry. Their marriage began in 2001.
Does Cheri Morial have children?
Yes. Her sons are Austin Ausberry and Jaiden Ausberry.
What is Cheri Morial known for professionally?
She is known for work in community development banking, civic board leadership, nonprofit governance, and customer service leadership in the utility sector. She has also held major roles in finance and community planning organizations.
What makes her family notable?
The Morial family is notable for public service across generations. It includes political leadership, legal work, medical leadership, and civic engagement. Cheri’s family story is one of public duty carried through multiple branches.
What is Cheri Morial’s public image?
She is seen as a grounded and effective leader. Her image is built less on spectacle and more on service, family loyalty, and practical community work.
