Who Holds the Most Power in Rhode Island?

Our April cover story highlights the forty-five most powerful Rhode Islanders in business, politics, education, development, philanthropy and more.

April 20, 2023

Lauren Clem, Jamie Coelho, Bob Curley,

INDEX:

Changing of the Guard

With the Great Resignation officially underway in the state’s highest circles — not to mention last fall’s election year power shakeup — the comings and goings of these Rhode Islanders are making waves in the Ocean State.

Brett Smiley

It’s only been three months since Brett Smiley transitioned back into City Hall, but Providence’s newly elected mayor has already appointed a new police chief and gotten acquainted with the situation in the city’s schools. A veteran of the local political scene, Smiley has the know-how to make things happen: He previously worked for Mayor Jorge Elorza and was director of administration under Governor Gina Raimondo, and his husband, Jim DeRentis, is a prominent real estate agent and political fundraiser in the city.

Seth Magaziner

Seth Magaziner’s biggest claim to fame so far is defeating Republican Allan Fung in Rhode Island’s Second Congressional District, a contest he won by nearly 4 percentage points despite the race garnering national attention. As Rhode Island’s freshman congressman, it will be years before the former state treasurer can gain the stature of his fellow legislators, but he’s off to a good start: Earlier this year, he secured seats on the Homeland Security and Natural Resources committees, and he campaigned on a platform of reining in drug prices, bolstering Social Security and Medicare and going after “Big Oil.”

David Cicilline

David Cicilline stole the national spotlight in 2021 when then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi appointed him to serve as an impeachment manager in the second impeachment trial of President Donald Trump. Now, he’ll be calling the shots a little closer to home: In February, the Rhode Island Foundation announced the U.S. representative and former Providence mayor would serve as its next CEO, replacing longtime leader Neil Steinberg in June. The appointment opens up a power vacuum in Rhode Island’s First Congressional District, where candidates are already jostling for the top spot in the upcoming special election.

Dr. Michael Wagner

Like Lifespan, Care New England lost its CEO, Dr. James Fanale, shortly after the state denied an attempt by the two groups to merge last spring. That leaves newly appointed CEO Dr. Michael Wagner to forge a path forward for the parent company of Women and
Infants, Butler and Kent hospitals after its second failed merger attempt in four years. Wagner comes from a long administrative background in the Boston area, most recently serving as chief physician executive at Tufts Medicine.

Edmund Shallcross III

Edmund Ted Shallcross

In an age when many corporate CEOs seem more like absentee landlords of the state’s economy, Edmund “Ted” Shallcross bucks the trend. The native Rhode Islander succeeded Bob DiMuccio last year as CEO of Amica Mutual Insurance Company just as the company was securing the naming rights to the one-time Civic Center. His business savvy extends to the local community, where he’s served stints on the boards of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Rhode Island, the Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council and the Providence Children’s Museum, among others.

Xaykham Khamsyvoravong

Newport’s latest mayor took office last year at a critical time in the city’s history. Sky-high home prices and the proliferation of vacation rentals have continued to box locals out of the housing market, with development opportunities in the North End sparking friction over the future of its neighborhoods. A fresh face to Newport politics, Khamsyvoravong already has an impressive resume of Rhode Island connections: He previously chaired the Providence Water Supply Board and served as deputy chief of staff to former General Treasurer Frank Caprio.

John Fernandez

Few people would envy John Fernandez’s position. The former Mass General Brigham executive took the reins at Lifespan in January after a failed merger attempt and the departure of its chief executive of ten years, Dr. Timothy Babineau, last spring. Fernandez has his hands full as he takes on a crucial role in stabilizing Rhode Island’s health care industry, leading the state’s largest hospital group out of unprecedented staff shortages and financial losses attributed in part to the continued disruptions in patient volume following the pandemic.

Dr. Megan Ranney

In a health landscape paralyzed by worker shortages and lingering COVID disruption, a steady voice holds clout. No one knows that better than Dr. Megan Ranney, the emergency physician and deputy dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health who moonlights as a health commentator for everything from CNN to the Washington Post. Whether it’s opining about climate change, unraveling vaccine policies or framing gun violence as a public health issue, Ranney’s voice has been a constant in a state that’s seen too many health leaders hit the road. But alas, the revolving door of Rhode Island’s current health market finally caught up with her: In January, she announced she’s leaving in July to take the top job at the Yale School of Public Health.