A call from Senator Jack Reed in early 2010 put Joseph Shekarchi on the path to becoming one of those closest to Governor-Elect Gina Raimondo, and a key person to determining who will be on her cabinet and staff.

With the inauguration on Jan. 6, time is drawing close to when Raimondo assumes office. As of last week, the governor-elect had announced only a handful of cabinet appointees and even fewer staff appointments.

“Don’t be surprised to see some Republicans in the administration, too,” said Shekarchi.

Shekarchi has the governor-elect’s ear, but he won’t be taking a job in the administration. He says he’s happy where he is. For the moment, Shekarchi is co-chair of Raimondo’s transition team with Jon Duffy. Shekarchi also served as Democratic campaign coordinator in this year’s election, a job that had him coordinating candidate appearances and put him in contact with people across the state.

“Reed suggested I talk with her,” Shekarchi, a Warwick lawyer and state representative, said from his office at College Park Offices. “She needed a campaign manager and I had an itch to get back into more active politics.”

Shekarchi, who handles a lot of clients with planning and zoning issues, is a familiar face in City Hall. He has represented a number of high profile developers appearing before the City Council for zone changes. One of his trademarks is to reach out to neighbors of a proposed development, such as the assisted living facility now being planned for Toll Gate Road not far from Kent Hospital. He holds informational meetings. The sessions are informal, giving area residents and elected officials an opportunity to get details on what’s proposed and also to take away suggestions that developers can incorporate into designs before a formal review of the plan.

It reflects his style in politics – consensus building.

Shekarchi’s interest in politics dates back to childhood, when his uncle, Ray Esposito, now 88, played a role in state and city Democratic campaigns. One of his first personal involvements came when Elaine Pesce, who was active in schools and ran Channel One, an anti-drug program, ran for school committee. Pesce also ran for council. While attending Suffolk University, where he earned his undergraduate and law degrees, Shekarchi served as a page to Warwick Rep. Michael D’Ambra. He later worked on the mayoral campaign of Charles Donovan Sr. and served as assistant city solicitor. He also worked for Bruce Sundlun’s campaign for governor.

In 2012, Shekarchi stepped out as a candidate when Robert Flaherty, who had held the House District 23 seat for 22 years, chose not to seek re-election.

Shekarchi took to the job. In the wake of the surprise departure of House Speaker Gordon Fox, he allied himself with Nicholas Mattiello and worked to get Mattiello elected speaker.

“He is my friend,” he said of Mattiello. “I would have worked for him whether he was the favorite or the underdog, it didn’t matter.”

Shekarchi was the architect of a compromise bill that will do away with the “master lever” in 2016 and, with his meteoric rise, he was appointed chairman of the House Committee on Labor, a remarkable achievement for a freshman legislator.

It was that “itch” and the call from Reed that matched him with Raimondo.

A political unknown at the time, Raimondo planned to run for state treasurer. Shekarchi followed up on Reed’s suggestion and, after a couple of calls, they agreed to meet for a few minutes. His first impression of Raimondo was of her energy and that she “is very smart.”

He said she wanted to know what he was going to do for her. He told her that his advice might run counter to those of political consultants, “that I would tell her where to go.”

“Four hours later, I was her campaign manager,” he recalled. Some of Shekarchi’s unconventional recommendations included moving Raimondo’s headquarters out of Providence and locating on Jefferson Boulevard in Warwick. When it came to the Columbus Day parade, Shekarchi advised Raimondo to skip the one on Federal Hill, where she would become one of scores of candidates, and do the Westerly parade. Westerly has a large Italian-American population and, being one of the few to march, she stood out.

Shekarchi said a “wide net” is being cast in a search to fill cabinet and staff posts. He said the transition office is looking at people with experience in government and the private sector in and outside the state. He said the cabinet is close to being named and, at this point, two of Chafee’s staff will be staying on. The governor has a staff of about 40, he said.

One of the first tasks Raimondo will face is putting together a budget, which is due to be completed by Feb. 1. Shekarchi anticipates Raimondo will ask for an extension from the General Assembly.

High on the list of concerns is a projected budget deficit that has mushroomed from $15 million in the first briefing to $60 million at the latest briefing.

“The numbers keep changing,” he said.

Shekarchi will be available to continue advising Raimondo when she is in office. After all, he loves being in the thick of what’s happening.