Rhode Island’s new Governor Helena Foulkes spent 25 years at CVS and lost her first election—she says failure and bad bosses made her a better leader

Helena Foulkes, Rhode Island’s new governor and a 25-year CVS veteran, said her first electoral defeat and earlier experiences with poor managers shaped her approach to leadership. Foulkes, who lost her first gubernatorial bid before winning the office, argued that setbacks and difficult bosses taught her resilience and how not to lead. She pointed to her long corporate career, including her time at CVS, as preparation for governing, saying that pursuing a goal that fails can still yield unexpected benefits. Her comments position her as a leader who frames failure as a development tool rather than a career-ending event.