COLUMBIA - First lady Jenny Sanford has taken on some administrative duties in the governor's office as her husband searches to replace his outgoing chief of staff.

The former investment banker is sitting in on some of Republican Gov. Mark Sanford's meetings and communicating between the governor and his executive staff.

The Sanfords are adamant the first lady is not acting as chief of staff, but rather helping to bridge the duties of outgoing chief of staff Fred Carter and his yet-to-be-named successor.

The freshman governor has been looking for months to replace Carter, who leaves in December to resume the presidency of Francis Marion University. Carter is working four days a week now and will be working three days a week starting in October.

Sanford said it was only natural to have his wife in his office since she ran his successful campaigns for Congress in the 1990s and for governor last year.

"I married a gal that's been a helpmate throughout," he said.

Jenny Sanford, 40, will not have an official title, and she won't be paid for her work in the governor's office.

"This is a great interim thing that will serve the administration well and serve her husband well," Mark Sanford said.

Jenny Sanford sees her new role as natural. She left her banking career to start a family.

She has spent the first eight months of her husband's term helping their four sons make the adjustment from life on Sullivans Island to life in the Governor's Mansion.

"Life is real simple for me as long as I'm in this stage of my life, in this season of my life, if you want to be biblical about it," she said. "My role is to be the best wife and mother I can be."

Jenny Sanford has spent much of her time with her children, and with running the Governor's Mansion complex.

She said at the time of the January inauguration that there was not enough money to run the complex through the end of the fiscal year in June.

So she raised $120,000 privately to keep the mansion running. She also streamlined the kitchen staff and began charging for some functions, such as teas, that the mansion had once hosted.

Jenny Sanford's new responsibilities will delay her taking on a social cause with vigor, which has been a traditional role of the first lady.