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WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Michelle LeBlanc, AVP of front store strategy and transformation, has been with CVS Health for 20 years with continuous promotion to roles of greater responsibility and leadership. LeBlanc says, “I am a life-long learner. One of the things I am most proud of in my career is the diversity of experiences I’ve gained across retail — from category merchandising, profit and loss management, and store brand business development to the role I have today.” Her deep understanding of the business landscape and consumer insights elevate the design of CVS Health’s retail strategy. “Our strategy is rooted in customer-centric transformation that will fuel growth in the years to come.”
In her recently expanded role, LeBlanc continues to serve as chief of staff to CVS Health’s senior vice president and chief merchant Musab Balbale while leading merchandising analytics. Her new responsibilities include leading the retail strategy and transformation team. “We have a talented team of process owners that develop and implement both short-term and long-term key growth initiatives across our front store, tied to our broader enterprise as well,” says LeBlanc.
In 2023, CVS Health celebrated the one-year anniversary of its current retail strategy focused on elevating its assortment to meet the needs of 5 million daily shoppers as America’s largest neighborhood pharmacy health and wellness destination while making health care more affordable, convenient and engaging for customers in-store and online.
Michelle LeBlanc
LeBlanc’s passion for her role and team is apparent as she discusses the work they lead. “We sit in this unique space where we get to take data and insights, draw out insights, formulate hypotheses, test and learn against them … and ultimately, we get to take all that and continuously shape and reshape our strategic bets. We get to do that through collaboration across many teams across the organization, and we have a ton of fun while we do it.” With colleague empowerment being essential, LeBlanc notes that the expansion of her role also enhances their ability to connect the dots from storytelling to execution.
“As I think about the year ahead, I’m most excited about our momentum in helping our customers with heart — that’s at our core. Whether someone is picking up a prescription, searching for over-the-counter supplements, grabbing makeup or a gift for a celebration, it’s crucial that we make it as seamless as possible to reach their goals.”
LeBlanc is very proud of her achievements at CVS. “I wouldn’t say my accomplishments are a result I delivered or a project I led; it would be the connections I’ve made. I have so many people that I mentor, formally and informally, who also mentor me right back.”