There is wonderful symmetry to their latest move.

The daughter of a prominent East Side family, Stephanie is returning to her roots during which she saw her parents as active role models in the community. Her mother, Sophie, is credited with the rebirth of Roger Williams Park Zoo, a board for which Stephanie also served as secretary, and her father was a long-time vice president and treasurer of RISD. Her grandfather founded the fracture service (now orthopedics) at RI Hospital which today remains as one of the four oldest continuing approved residencies in the country. (Perhaps that explains why healthcare has always been Stephanie's "thing.")

Whatever her other interests, Stephanie has also been a very active supporter and campaigner for her husband through numerous elections and, like him, has a wonderfully independent spirit. She was vilified by both sides when she sent out a letter and an email asking Rhode Island Democrats to disaffiliate and vote in the Republican primary during her husband's bitter contest with Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey. Her husband was regarded as a RINO (Republican In Name Only) and was considered perhaps the most liberal Republican in Congress. He frequently supported Democrats, publicly attacked conservatives and fellow Republicans and wrote in his father's name in the 2004 Presidential election so as not to have to vote for Bush. He also proudly points out he was the only Republican senator to vote against going to war in Iraq. Not surprisingly, Stephanie's current political agenda consists of being a co-leader of "Women for Obama" and she plans on traveling and speaking for him if he becomes the nominee.

Just before the last campaign, the family moved to Barnes Street from their farm in Exeter. Win or lose, the family had decided to establish a home base on the East Side as the travel needs of their children expanded. While the farm certainly had its qualities, the heavy carpooling schedule was taking a great toll on the family. She readily admits she loves being back in Providence. "I grew up on the East Side, a couple of blocks from where we live now. It was a great neighborhood then, but it's even better today with the Farmers Market at Hope High and so many other things to do. We have a lot of family nearby as well as a large extended group of friends. Linc can walk to work and it's a great walking neighborhood with lots of young families with kids. Even having a large group of Brown football players living next door makes the street exciting," she explains.

So have things changed much from when she grew up here? "Well, the parking is certainly worse," she laughs. "I personally would like to see those of us who live here walk more. Maybe sit on our porches and greet people as they walk by. I also wish we had even more parks, playgrounds and green space like there is in D.C. But in general, it's great being back."

Stephanie Chafee is the kind of woman who is quite secure in who she is, with no false pretenses. A classic story, covered by the national fashion media, was that when the Laura Bush Foundation held a fundraiser based on the book "The Hundred Dresses" where they auctioned off 100 dresses donated by senators or their wives on Ebay, Stephanie showed that 'understatement still thrived in New England' by donating a silk Talbot's dress.

Part of her charm, which is considerable by the way, is how she simply shrugs her shoulders when complimented for her energy and commitment to hard work. "I'm no different than anyone else," she explains. "I start at 5:30 AM, prepare and manage three kids and a husband and then I go to work." Except that her husband is a former mayor, United States senator and a potential candidate for governor or mayor of Providence. And her work includes doing things like starting the non-profit Rhode Island Free Clinic which provides a unique level of health care to over 1,700 uninsured patients since opening its doors in 1999 and is considered one of the best of its kind in the country.

She credits her humility and work ethic to her upbringing. While growing up, her father offered her two bits of advice, "You must be able to support yourself and leave the world a better place." She hasn't been afraid to get her hands dirty doing it, either.

In the summer before starting nursing school, she headed to Appalachia, as a courier with the Frontier Nursing Service in Kentucky. The program enabled her to assist medical personnel in the delivery of critical services to a very poor, underserved area that still had remnants of the war between the Hatfields and McCoys. "We would have to sing certain songs as we went from a place to avoid being shot at. There wasn't an emergency room for these people to go to, let alone even reasonable health care. Rats, and gunshot wounds, were common."This eye opening experience set the stage for a recurring theme in her career… to deliver quality health care to people that had little or no chance to be properly treated.

Following a nursing degree and an MBA in healthcare management, Stephanie worked in a variety of nursing and public health situations developing a specialization in HIV/AIDS. She was the first AIDS clinical nurse in Rhode Island, as well as a dedicated board member and volunteer at Sunrise House and Aids Project RI. Her extensive work also includes many lectures, and the presentation of papers and participation in public forums. These efforts culminated with her being asked to be a Moderator/Host at the Leadership Summit on Women and Global HIV/AIDS in Washington, D.C. in 2005.

Working in these local organizations, she saw a need for "an organization that could provide quality health care services for those who are unable to access basic medical services" and in 1999 she joined with a colleague in creating the Rhode Island Free Clinic, where she served as president until 2004. She just recently stepped back from the day-to-day operation. She expects to devote some of her time to help with major fundraising for the clinic. "I also want to make it clear, by the way, that we never got any federal money from the government while my husband was in the Senate."

"There are over 100,000 people in RI who are uninsured and their medical care consists of a visit to the ER where they may be given a prescription that they can't afford to fill or sent to another physician who they will have to skip work to see and then still can't afford to pay," she explained. It's a vicious cycle that doesn't stop. "One of the things that we are trying to achieve is better outcomes for our patients through a managed care system where several doctors who had examined the same patient could easily collaborate on a treatment plan. At the same time, we can also educate the patient to be responsible with their health care treatment."
The Free Clinic focuses on continuing care and does not handle emergency or urgent care cases. It is completely staffed by volunteers – interpreters, physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, diabetic educators, and nutritionists - who donate their time and services. They treat patients who are completely uninsured and charge nothing for their services, including medications. Facilitated referrals to no/low cost diagnostic and specialty services are also provided. They are working with the Brown Medical School on a four-year credit program for their students that will give them a full understanding of the medical system. "Many of these med students have no idea of the staggering amounts of paperwork involved in a practice today," she adds.

The Free Clinic is not a walk-in clinic. Once a month, they hold a lottery to accept new patients. "It's the best that we are able to do right now, but I'm hopeful that in the near future we will have another system," she continues. Patients receive follow-up care and are referred to internal specialty clinics – podiatry, cardiology, diabetes, women's and mental health or to specialty services that are donated at no or low cost by hospitals and private practices.

The clinic is located on Broad Street and sees about 10% more women than men, of whom 63% are Hispanic, 16% are Caucasian, 11% are African American, 3% are Asian and 5% are other. Nearly half of the patients are employed and the majority live in Providence with others coming from Pawtucket, Central Falls, Barrington, East Greenwich and other RI cities and towns.

Stephanie has also served on the Advisory Board for Sstarbirth and remains a Board Member of Sstar, the first agency in the area to establish an inpatient substance abuse detoxification unit and the first to open an HIV walk-in testing clinic. They were the first private agency to provide public Detox services in Rhode Island, and the provider of a residential program for chemically dependent, pregnant, postpartum women and their children. The program's goals are to improve the physical health and reduce substance abuse among mothers and children to promote safe and healthy pregnancies, improve family functioning and to reunite families.

So, what's next?

"I'm stepping back from work to focus on getting my kids on to new phases in their lives, college for the oldest and boarding school for the middle one… and then we'll see," she says with a smile that lets you know that she sees something big on the horizon.

It doesn't take much prodding. Her current hot idea is something called "H3" and it's not a Hummer. "It stands for Health, Housing and Hunger, it's a work in progress," she explains. "Twenty-five percent of Rhode Islanders are affected by one of these issues. I see this as sort an umbrella think link for all the services that can help in any of these areas. The programs are here; they just don't talk to each other." Without missing a beat, she rattles off statistics. "Eighteen percent of the people who are eligible to receive Food Stamps aren't getting them because the form is so complicated that even I had trouble figuring it out; 13 percent have no health insurance and we have absolutely no real idea on how many are homeless. These are all critical issues that are interrelated and need to be addressed."

Stephanie hasn't cut her Washington ties completely, either. She will also continue on the board of the Meridian International Center, a Washington, D.C. organization that is unique in its dedicated role to non-partisan public diplomacy offering a wide array of outreach, exchanges, and arts programs that promote international understanding through the exchange of people, ideas and the arts.
After spending an hour with Stephanie, given her political roots, you feel compelled to ask, "So why don't you run for office?"

"Are you crazy?" she retorts, the only time in the interview that she shows great excitement. "I'm really a dictator and I speak my mind," she explains, "I often inadvertently put my foot in my mouth, and I would last about five seconds in the political arena. My strengths are setting the stage and bringing people together. I'm happy to leave the politics to Linc. I do my passions, he does his."

Unfortunately, it's one of the few times that she's wrong. She would make a great political leader. But in the meantime, we're lucky to have "the other Chafee," actively doing her impressive work to help improve her new neighborhood.