Meet the 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island' Cast

The new Bravo reality series features a diverse group of Rhode Island women with unique backgrounds and personalities.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 8:21pm

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A minimalist, abstract illustration featuring bold, jagged shapes and silhouettes in high-contrast red and white, conceptually representing the cast of the new 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island' reality TV series.The diverse cast of 'The Real Housewives of Rhode Island' brings a new level of drama and personality to the popular Bravo franchise.Cranston Today

Bravo's new reality series 'The Real Housewives of Rhode Island' premiered on April 2, 2026, introducing viewers to a group of prominent Rhode Island women with diverse backgrounds and professions. The cast includes a pizzeria owner, a former TV news reporter, a cannabis dispensary manager, a wealth manager, and a former beauty pageant winner, among others.

Why it matters

The 'Real Housewives' franchise has become a cultural phenomenon, providing a glimpse into the lives of affluent women across the country. The Rhode Island edition aims to showcase the unique personalities and dynamics within the state's high-society circles, potentially drawing new attention and tourism to the region.

The details

The 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island' cast includes Alicia Carmody, the owner of Pizza Mamma in Cranston; Rosie Woods DiMare, a former TV news and traffic reporter; Ashley Iaconetti, who owns a coffee shop with her husband Jared Haibon; Liz McGraw, the dispensary sales manager of the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence; Rulla Nehme Pontarelli, a wealth manager at Royal One Financial Group; Kelsey Swanson, a makeup artist and former Miss Rhode Island USA; and Jo-Ellen Tiberi, a practice development manager for a medical equipment company. Dolores Catania, a main cast member on 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey,' also joins the Rhode Island cast as a 'friend' of the group.

  • The new 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island' series premiered on April 2, 2026.

The players

Alicia Carmody

The visionary behind Pizza Mamma, a Cranston pizzeria that advertises 'slices of tradition inspired by her Italian roots and cherished memories of her grandparents.' Carmody is a graduate of Paul Mitchell's cosmetology and beauty school.

Rosie Woods DiMare

A familiar face in Southeastern New England, having worked as a TV news and traffic reporter. DiMare now works as a TV host and DJ.

Ashley Iaconetti

Has plenty of reality TV experience, competing on season 19 of ABC's 'The Bachelor' and meeting her husband Jared Haibon on the second season of 'Bachelor in Paradise.' The two now own and operate Audrey's Coffee House and Lounge in South Kingstown.

Liz McGraw

The dispensary sales manager of the Thomas C. Slater Compassion Center in Providence. Her husband, Gerald, is the company's president and CEO. McGraw is referred to as 'Rhode Island's cannabis queen.'

Rulla Nehme Pontarelli

A managing partner and wealth manager at Royal One Financial Group. Pontarelli is fluent in both English and Arabic and is married to podiatrist Brian Pontarelli.

Kelsey Swanson

A makeup artist who won the Miss Rhode Island USA pageant in 2017. Her non-monogamous relationship with her longtime boyfriend is a key point of drama in the first episode.

Jo-Ellen Tiberi

A practice development manager for Cutera, a California-based company that sells medical equipment and aesthetic technology to plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and medical spas. She is described as 'the one who tells it like it is.'

Dolores Catania

A main cast member on 'The Real Housewives of New Jersey' and a close friend of Liz McGraw, who joins the 'Real Housewives of Rhode Island' cast as a 'friend' rather than a Housewife.

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The takeaway

The diverse cast of 'The Real Housewives of Rhode Island' showcases the unique personalities and dynamics within the state's high-society circles, potentially drawing new attention and tourism to the region through the popular Bravo franchise.