G. WAYNE MILLER has written 15 series for The Providence Journal. His 2007 series, An American Bishop: Inside the World of One Cathedral Square, profiled Bishop Thomas J. Tobin. The author of seven books, he is also producing and writing the 2009 documentary movie ON THE LAKE: Life and Love in a Distant Place. Visit him at gwaynemiller.com E-mail: gwmiller@projo.com

MARY MURPHY has been a photographer at The Providence Journal since 1982. She has photographed Frank Beazley for The Growing Season, Bishop Thomas J. Tobin for An American Bishop: Inside the World of One Cathedral Square, the Plunder Dome trial, the story of Station fire victim Gina Gauvin, the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots. She participated in a journalist exchange in 1990 in the former Soviet Union through the New England Society of Newspaper Editors. E-mail: mmurphy@projo.com

A Humble Path to Power is a collaboration among The Journal's print and online teams, including projo.com chief designer Mike Foran, designers Kathy DeVault and Beth Heaney, news producer maria caporizzo and section editor Gary Zebrun. It was edited by managing editor Susan Areson.

© 2008, Published by The Providence Journal Co., 75 Fountain St., Providence, RI 02902

Reporting on A Humble Path to Power began on Jan. 21, 2008, and continued into April 2008. It included spending several days with Sen. Jack Reed in Rhode Island; three days with Reed in Washington, D.C., Feb. 26 - Feb. 28; a day with Reed at West Point, March 9; visits to Reed's Jamestown home and his townhouse near Washington; five formal interviews with Reed; and interviews with several Washington leaders, including five U.S. senators. Reed provided The Journal access to his staff and his personal archives.