The newest Real Housewives bring big drama to a small state when The Real Housewives of Rhode Island premieres on Thursday, April 2 at 9/8c on Bravo.
The RHORI cast includes Alicia Carmody, Rosie DiMare, Ashley Iaconetti, Liz McGraw, Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, Kelsey Swanson, Jo-Ellen Tiberi, and friend Dolores Catania.
Keep reading to find out exactly what the ladies all do for a living.
Details on Alicia Carmody’s career
Although she was a hairstylist for 25 years, Alicia is now switching gears and entering what she calls her “boss-babe era” and devoting her time to her fiancé Billy’s restaurant, Pizza Mamma, according to her Bravo bio.
She opened up to The Daily Dish about why she decided to venture into a new career. “It was just time,” she shared. “It was just like the end of a chapter, or end of a book maybe. But either way, it was the end.”
What Rosie DiMare does for a living
Rosie’s decade as a successful former Rhode Island television news reporter and anchor paved the way for her to grow her local lifestyle news program today. “I worked all over the country. So I was in Idaho. I was in Indiana. I’ve been in North Carolina. I’ve dabbled just about everywhere, because that’s how you move your way up in local news,” she told The Daily Dish.
Eventually, Rosie got the chance to anchor and report in Rhode Island, close to her home state of Massachusetts. But it was the coronavirus pandemic that changed her perspective and led her to pivot to lifestyle news, in additional to doing traffic on the morning news.
“I switched, and I was one of the main four faces on the number one station in Rhode Island,” she shared. “I was in all the billboards, and I was in all the commercials, and then I would host my own lifestyle show in the afternoon. It was the number one lifestyle show in New England.”
Rosie made yet another big career decision after that. “I realized that I could actually make way more money if I just had my own show,” she explained. “So I ended up quitting that job, starting my own little production company, and in that production company, I have Road Tripping, which is my weekend show.”
She revealed that she now co-hosts Road Tripping with her husband, Rich, and she later merged her production company with Rich’s events company, and named it A Rosie Production. “He’s better at the numbers than me, and I’m better at just like creating content and getting sponsors for the show and being on TV,” she explained.
But Rosie’s hustling doesn’t end there. “I’m also a DJ, a live host, and an emcee,” she revealed. “I want to go to Vegas. I want to be like doing the pool raves.”
She also shared with The Daily Dish she does “social media for a lot of local companies.”
Ashley Iaconetti’s career, explained
After marrying her Bachelor in Paradise love, Jared Haibon, Ashley and Jared now co-own Audrey’s Coffee House & Lounge. Additionally, Ashley works as a social media influencer.
“I actually went to broadcasting school. I got my master’s in broadcasting at Syracuse,” she told The Daily Dish. “I wanted to be an entertainment reporter.”
It was during the job search that she ended up signing up for The Bachelor, which led to her career today.
“[I] kind of found my place in influencing and podcasting, so that’s what I do now,” she added of her podcast The Ben And Ashley I Almost Famous Podcast with The Bachelor alum Ben Higgins. “I speak to my 1.2M followers on Instagram about mom stuff, beauty stuff, life stuff.”
What to know about Liz McGraw’s career
Liz and her husband, Gerry, own a cannabis dispensary and were pioneers in the rapidly expanding field.
“We were one of the first to open [in the country],” Liz told The Daily Dish during an interview. “I did everything from crack the seeds, to harvest, to learn how to grow in different ways. I designed the whole place.”
Despite her success, Liz’s drive to be the best never ends. “I’m just kind of about keeping our integrity, you know?” she said. “Product development, always looking to develop new innovative products, and just keep that customer service base strong.”
Liz is also joining her friend, Dolores, to “embark on a new entrepreneurial venture,” which is described as a menopause gummy brand.
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What Rulla Nehme Pontarelli does for a living
Rulla is certified financial planner and wealth manager.
“Always motivated by a challenge, Rulla brings a sharp mind, wisdom, and compassion to planning engagements,” her career profile reads. “Her financial intelligence and experienced industry knowledge, combined with exceptional communication skills—in multiple languages—and a deep level of emotional understanding, give her an exceptional ability to relate with people and share her knowledge effectively.”
Details on Kelsey Swanson’s career
Former Miss Rhode Island Kelsey describes her career in one word: beauty. “I really found my passion for hair and makeup when I started pageants,” she told The Daily Dish. “Being glammed and doing makeup but also making other people feel good is kind of what grew into such a big passion of mine.”
She eventually launched her own wedding hair and makeup business and is now venturing into interior design.
“From the moment I could probably speak, I would tell my dad to move my bed around the room, to make me feel like I was living in a new room,” she shared. “Designing and anything that allows me to use my creative talents is what I love.”
Her dream design space? Baby nurseries.
Jo-Ellen Tiberi’s career, explained
Jo-Ellen balances her full-time job in aesthetics with her full-time job as a mom to children ages 11, 4, and 1.
“I work for Cutera, a laser company,” she told The Daily Dish in an interview. “Basically, my job is to teach offices how to use the device, how to sell the device to patients, events, marketing — all of that.”
She revealed that there are perks to the job, including free treatments and Botox. “I love what I’m doing,” she added. “It’s a fun job.”
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What Dolores Catania does for a living
Although Dolores is known for her time on The Real Housewives of New Jersey, she’s currently joining her friend Liz on a new “entrepreneurial venture,” according to her Bravo bio, as the two go into business on a menopause gummy brand.
Dolores previously shared she had a “nontraditional road to fame” in her Bravo TV bio, with jobs including waitress, shampoo girl, and surgical assistant.
“It was working in the prison system that made her passionate about helping the less fortunate, especially families in unfair circumstances,” the bio adds. “Dolores has been celebrated for her charitable work, particularly with women’s shelters and animal rescue organizations.”
She was also given the Ambassador of Hope Award by Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn in 2020 for bringing awareness to women’s health issues.
Grab your popcorn and get ready for The Real Housewives of Rhode Island premiere by checking out our Real Housewives watch guide.
–Additional reporting by Stephanie Gomulka
