Chéri Ballinger is a film producer, speaker, ambassador, philanthropist, and advocate on a mission to share her epic comeback story so others can be inspired and their Faith can be ignited! She is passionate about bringing people hope, reviving elegance and helping others rediscover that life is truly a beautiful gift. With a career rooted in the entertainment industry—from her early days in the 1998 remake of "The Parent Trap" to executive producing major motion pictures like "Roe v. Wade"—Chéri brings a rare blend of grace, strength, and purpose to everything she does. She loves our Blessed Mother and credits her and the rosary for sparing her life--It's no wonder her motto is "Be the Light"!
Chéri Ballinger is a multifaceted film producer, speaker, philanthropist, and entrepreneur whose life journey exemplifies resilience, faith, and a commitment to positive change. She gained early recognition in the entertainment industry as a young girl being in the 1998 remake of Disney's The Parent Trap. It was destiny because she later went on to become a full-time fashion model and actress around the world, while also putting herself through university.
In 2014, Chéri's life took a dramatic turn when she suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) during a modeling shoot. It was the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Doctors gave her little hope for recovery, but after over four years of intensive therapy, she made a remarkable, miraculous comeback. This experience ignited her passion for advocacy in women's health and brain injury awareness. It also fueled a passion for the second chance at life that God has given her.
Today, Chéri serves as the U.S. Ambassador for the Women’s Brain Project, a Swiss nonprofit dedicated to advancing brain health research for women. She is also an ambassador for the SameYou Foundation in the United Kingdom, founded by actress Emilia Clarke, which focuses on recovery from brain injuries and strokes. As a film producer, Chéri was an executive producer on the 2019 feature film Roe v. Wade, starring Jon Voight, which garnered significant attention and acclaim . She is currently involved in several high-profile film projects that reflect her passion for storytelling and positive impact. In addition, she is on the executive producer team with NOVO Media Group, working on bringing incredible projects aimed to entertain, elevate, and inspire--all to bring back and normalize values in our culture.
Chéri is also a sought-after international speaker, sharing her message of hope and resilience at events worldwide, including Harvard University and the site of Winston Churchill's 1946 speech in Zurich. Her motto, "Be the Light," encapsulates her mission to inspire others through her personal comeback story and unwavering faith.
With a background in acting, modeling, and business, Chéri continues to use her platform to advocate for women's health, promote positive change, and encourage others to find hope and purpose in their own lives. Chéri brings a rare blend of grace, strength, and purpose to everything she does and when she speaks, she inspires each person to go out and "Be the Light".
Chéri's Speaking Topics:
ProLife
As one of the executive producers of the film "Roe v Wade" starring Jon Voight, Chéri shares the compelling story of how she restarted her life and then miraculously came on board this important film. This launched her new career as a film producer--something she never even thought of! She has a powerful testimony about this that delights audiences! She also has a deeply moving personal story about her beloved grandfather who was abandoned as a newborn baby in 1925. This story is really special and resonates with everyone because the topic of abortion affects generations, something not often thought of when the public is presented with this issue. Chéri brings a beautiful, different perspective to the prolife movement and mission leading with the reminder to the public that life is beautiful and life is worth living! This captivates audiences with her positive approach. She is a very public supporter and champion for numerous prolife charities around the world.
Women
Chéri relates on a variety of topics that are tailored to women to inspire them to embrace their femininity and the beauty that comes from being an authentic woman. Having our Blessed Mother as our ultimate role model, she shares how women are so crucial to both the Church and the world. She uses the incredible Bishop Fulton Sheen's platform and dissects the brilliance of his epic quote: "When a man loves a woman, he has to become worthy of her. The higher her virtue, the more noble her character, the more devoted she is to truth, justice, goodness, the more a man has to aspire to be worthy of her. The history of civilization could actually be written in terms of the level of its women" give.
She uses this to share with women the incredible power and responsibility we have in being stewards of Christ and His Church while also emulating our Blessed Mother and her Fiat. We must also our "yes" to God. She also loves using the examples of many saints and does a beautiful job with blending their heroic Faith journeys and the modern times we live in. She impresses upon audiences how our Faith and the way we are supposed to live is truly "timeless". Using her signature wit, she relates how beautifully different men and women are and how we are supposed to be complementary to one another--not competing with each other. She grew up with her five brothers so she gives a unique perspective with humor that everyone can relate to! She encourages women to lift each other up because "we rise by lifting others". Being a woman is a great gift and privilege--walking away from hearing Chéri makes you realize just this!
Health
Chéri also speaks on the importance of health--health is truly wealth! Her personal experience and perspective on women's health and how to navigate all of the issues we face as Catholic women is given with precision and grace. Having had a horrific traumatic brain injury and a long list of consequent health issues afterwards, she vulnerably shares how she healed naturally while also fully embracing the Church's teachings. We need to speak more on issues like this, especially as Catholics! She teaches that when we embrace the Church's teachings, we are truly liberated and able to grasp the purpose and mission God has given each of us. She is currently the US Ambassador for the Women's Brain Foundation in Switzerland and the SameYou Foundation in the UK, while also being a very active champion for numerous charities with an emphasis on health, particularly utilizing natural methods and practices.
Elegance
Chéri is also on a mission to "Bring Back Elegance". With her signature motto, "Be the Light," Chéri leads by example—showing that true beauty stems from resilience, purpose, and authenticity. Whether on set, on stage, or at global events, she encourages women to rise above cultural noise and embrace a more refined, empowered version of womanhood that is rooted in Christ and His Church. Taking cues and wisdom from the richness of the Saints, she is able to give timeless wisdom to audiences on how to be more elegant and Faith-filled in their own lives. And this starts from within. With her background as a former fashion model who also attended finishing school, she loves to instruct others on the importance of being a daughter of Christ in the world through how we present ourselves in manner, poise, dress, and speech. In all her endeavors—film, fashion, philanthropy, and beyond—Chéri Ballinger is redefining what it means to be feminine in the modern world: strong, soft, and beautifully bold for the Truth. Indeed, as the great St. Catherine of Siena said "Be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire". And it starts with just being one light...
Youth
No matter the venue, Chéri loves speaking to the youth and they love her! Her natural charisma and witty banter really resonate with the young! She was the junior high CCD teacher at her hometown Catholic parish for several years before she could no longer commit due to international travel while she was a full time actress and fashion model. However, she was so beloved, had the largest classes in the history of the parish, and one of her former students even became a Franciscan monk (who later helped in the conversion of Hollywood star Shia LaBeouf)! Chéri has a beautiful way of speaking to the young people in a way they can really understand and fully grasp. She is the oldest of six children with five younger brothers and countless cousins! She relates stories from her vast repertoire of living as a faithful Catholic while in the entertainment industry--something she attributes to the strong foundation of Faith her parents gave her both at home and at school. She imparts her wisdom to the younger generation with the purpose of instilling in them that their Catholic Faith is the greatest treasure they will have in this life! Her comeback story wouldn't have been possible without her Faith and audiences are always riveted when hearing how our Blessed Mother spared her life. Chéri is a very strong promoter of praying the rosary every day, utilizing the Sacraments, and living the Faith in all areas of our lives. She really impresses upon the youth to avail themselves of these great gifts they've been given and she relates personal stories of how she integrated her Faith in her life from her youth to now, even while working in Hollywood. She wants the young people to walk away from her talks feeling on fire for the Faith, reverence for the Mass, and fervor to stay close to our Blessed Mother, the rosary and the sacraments.
Business
Chéri loves to speak at anything relating to business and our professional lives. She inspires audiences to truly "Be the Light" and to be the example of our Faith in the world, no matter what profession! She shares a number of very inspiring personal stories of how she was able to help others by being authentically Catholic and "countercultural" in the professional world. Her perspective is quite different from the majority of those who speak in this space, particularly in the entertainment industry. Although she has her fair share of Hollywood horror stories, because of her strong foundation, she has found that most people have been far more welcoming and kind during her long and successful career because she has learned to lead with the elegance and grace that comes with being an authentic Faith-filled woman. Quite incredibly, she completely restarted her life from zero after being down and out of the world for four years--in the professional realm, to reach the heights she has in such a short time is quite an accomplishment! She inspires and renews the Faith of all her business audiences with an enthusiastic sense of living with passion and purpose--the very best way to live!
Politics
Although it can be quite taboo, the reality is that if we are authentically Catholic, we must be so in the public square as well! Gone are the days of this being taboo, now is the time to be bold and Chéri sees this as a great time for evangelization! With her signature style of eloquence and grace, Chéri is an excellent speaker in the realm of politics. She is very active and public with charities around the world and her profile is very public for Catholic causes--protecting our rights to publicly serve and worship God through our Catholic Faith. She is regularly invited to high profile political events and meetings and is a good example of how we must bring, advocate, and be an example of our Faith in the realm of politics and decision makers. She has many personal stories to share in this space and it is a great delight to all audiences!
Testimonials & Endorsements:
"A magnetic ray of beautiful sunshine. Electric. That's the best way to describe Chéri. She lights up every room. She makes everyone feel like they're somebody important even though she is this gorgeous, elegant, well-spoken, fashionable woman. There's really no one else like her with such a radiant energy and presence. I'm just honored to have known her for so many years and to have had the great pleasure of working with her. " -Donna Smith, CEO, Bourbon Beauty LLC
"It is with great pleasure I write this recommendation for Chéri Ballinger, an exceptional Catholic speaker, seasoned movie producer, and actress. For Moms in the Middle events 2021 and 2023 (sponsored by Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace), Chéri was our keynote speaker for these dinner programs consisting of women, ages 18-80. Chéri was so well received, we asked her to return... Chéri is a beautiful witness who brings us hope, inspiration, and greater trust in God’s direction for our lives. A polished speaker, Chéri exudes positivity, and exemplifies what it means to be Catholic. Chéri was so generous with her time, ensuring everyone felt special and had been greeted, going nearly 90 minutes after her talk. One person (whose daughter suffered a traumatic brain injury) requested to meet with her the next day for breakfast and Chéri freely gave off her time. The August 2021 Moms in the Middle program produced the largest donations we have had since founding Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace thanks to Chéri . In her second talk, she met with a young lady, in her teens, who had just suffered a severe concussion and helped her feel heard, included, and left this young lady with positive, inspiring, steps she could take to recognize her identity as a child of God." -Vicki Yamasaki Founder and Chair Corpus Christi for Unity and Peace
"Hi! I was one of the girls helping out at the retreat and I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your speech and you are just so inspiring so thank you so so much! And I will be sure to start to pray the rosary more often" --Ava, student at St. Mary's High School (2025 retreat)
