Elizabeth H. Roberts
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Elizabeth H. Roberts is presently the Lieutenant Governor of the U.S. State of Rhode Island. She serves under Gov. Donald Carcieri (R-Rhode Island). She is Rhode Island's first female Lieutentant Governor.
Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth H. Roberts was inaugurated as the 68th lieutenant governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations on January 2, 2007, making history as the first female elected to the position.
Prior to taking office, Lieutenant Governor Roberts has spent over a decade distinguishing herself as one of Rhode Island’s most respected advocates for quality, affordable healthcare for every family and has built a statewide reputation for being a tireless leader on health and medical issues. Throughout her career, she has also been a leader in economic development and job growth, pushing for cleaner air and water, stronger schools, and increased attention to our disaster preparedness.
Common Cause, Rhode Island’s premier government reform organization, named Roberts one of the top two senators in Rhode Island in 2006, giving her the second highest rating in the General Assembly at 91% and an “A” for her reform efforts during the legislative session.
During her five terms in the Rhode Island State Senate, Roberts led the fight to reform the state’s largest healthcare insurer- Blue Cross and Blue Shield- as co-chair of Permanent Joint Committee on Healthcare Oversight. Her leadership and efforts helped refocus the non-profit’s mission to provide affordable healthcare and increased accountability to the public that Blue Cross serves. Roberts also formerly served as the chairwoman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
As a senator, Roberts also helped expand the state’s prescription drug program for seniors (RIPAE), enacted legislation to shield children from the dangers of lead paint, helped more working families get coverage through Rite Care, and is a leading voice for biomedical research in Rhode Island.
Roberts will serve as the chairwoman of the Long Term Care Coordinating Council, the Small Business Advocacy Council, and the Emergency Management Advisory Council.
As chairperson of the Small Business Advocacy Council, Roberts will continue her work on addressing the issues facing small businesses across the state. Roberts has been a uniting force in making insurance more affordable for small businesses by working closely with medical professionals, hospital administrators, insurers, business owners and consumers to find creative solutions. In 2005, she helped create the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner to oversee insurance companies and healthcare costs and, in 2006, she sponsored legislation to create a public/private partnership to reduce the burden of healthcare costs on small businesses.
Lieutenant Governor Roberts plans to continue the lieutenant governor’s office tradition of supporting our men and women of the Armed Forces with programs like Operation Holiday Cheer, the Military Family Relief Fund, and the Garden of Heroes, a memorial honoring all Rhode Island service members who have lost their lives in the line of service since September 11, 2001.
Roberts graduated from Brown University in 1978 and earned an MBA in healthcare management from Boston University. Before going to the Senate, Roberts worked as a business strategy consultant, policy analyst, and healthcare manager. She is married to Thomas Roberts and they have two daughters, Kathleen and Nora. The Roberts have been residents of Cranston’s Edgewood section for more than 20 years.
[edit] External links
- Rhode Island Office of the Lt. Governor Elizabeth H. Roberts official state site
- Follow the Money - Elizabeth H. Roberts 2006 campaign contributions
- Project Vote Smart - Lt. Governor Elizabeth H. Roberts (RI) profile
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