Contact the Council Member:
Address: 52 Crocus Dr., Cranston, RI 02920
Phone: 401-388-0884
Email: councilmanbuonanno@gmail.com
Committees:
Public Works Committee
Ordinance Committee
Bio:
Councilman Christopher Edward Buonanno was born in 1984 to Jane Spirito, a former Mathematics teacher and Department Chair at Cranston East, and former Councilman and State Representative Christopher Paul Buonanno. He is a lifelong resident of Cranston.
Growing up on Laurel Hill Avenue, he attended Gladstone Elementary School, Bain Middle School, and graduated in 2002 as a member of the National Honor Society from Cranston High School East. He graduated in 2010 with a B.A. in communications from Rhode Island College, where he served as student body president, secretary, and other positions in RIC’s Student Community Government, Inc., along with holding office in numerous other campus organizations.
In 2012, he earned his Real Estate Salesperson’s License, which he maintains at the brokerage of Center Place Realty in Cranston. He began working at the Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles as a Customer Service Representative in 2014 and is now a Supervisor for Motor Vehicle Customer Service. At the DMV, he has served on the Plate Reissuance Committee, authored and implemented policies for DMV programs, and drafted formal state rules and regulations, among many other projects to improve customer service at the agency.
In the community, Chris has been involved with the St. Mary’s Feast Society since the age of 6. In 2002 and 2013, he was awarded the Outstanding Benefactor Award, and in 2012 was elected Secretary, serving four terms. In 2016, he was named the Society’s Honorary President. In 2020, he was called upon to become the Treasurer to help get the Society through the COVID-19 pandemic, where he served for another 18 months.
He was also a member of the Order of the Sons of Italy in America, Piave Lodge #364. From 2010 to 2012, he served as Recording Secretary of the lodge. Chris is a member of the Santa Maria di Prata Society in Cranston, and the American License Plate Collectors Association.
In both 2017 and 2022, Chris was unanimously appointed by the Cranston City Council to serve on the Zoning Board of Review. After a two-year stint as vice-chair, in 2020 he became the chairperson, and was reelected as chair by the Zoning Board members each of the following three years. He stepped down when he assumed office on the City Council, after being elected in November 2024 as a city-wide candidate for the 2025-2027 term. Long active in Cranston politics, Chris ran for City Council with a focus on bipartisanship, fiscal responsibility, and continually improving schools and city services with a focus on maintaining a high quality of life for all Cranston residents.
Chris is an avid golfer, enjoys reading, antique cars, and is a passionate collector of license plates. He lives in Garden City with his wife, Kristen (nee’ Della Torre), a Cranston teacher; two daughters, Carmella and Caterina; and two poodle puppies, Bruno and Basil.