Helena Grace Buonanno Foulkes (; née Buonanno; born July 18, 1964) is an American businesswoman and politician. She was the chief executive officer of Hudson's Bay Company and a marketing executive at CVS Pharmacy. A member of the Democratic Party, Foulkes unsuccessfully ran for governor of Rhode Island in 2022 before winning the nomination in 2026, both times challenging incumbent governor Dan McKee for the Democratic nomination.
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Early life and education
Buonanno was born in Providence, Rhode Island, on July 18, 1964. She is the eldest of five children of Bernard and Martha Buonanno (née Dodd). She is the maternal granddaughter of Connecticut senator Thomas J. Dodd and the niece of Connecticut senator and 2008 presidential candidate Chris Dodd.
Buonanno was raised in Rhode Island and attended Lincoln School in Providence. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard College, graduating magna cum laude in 1986. While at Harvard, Buonanno's senior thesis was advised by Larry Summers. She later earned her Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
Career
After graduating from Harvard, Buonanno Foulkes briefly worked at Goldman Sachs and Tiffany & Co before leaving to earn her MBA. She began working at CVS in 1992. She rose to become the company's executive vice president and chief marketing officer. She oversaw the launch of the ExtraCare card, a membership program offering savings to participants. Buonanno Foulkes also created the Pharmacy Advisor program, its purpose being to offer advice to customers with chronic conditions, either in stores or over the phone.