As the newest cast member of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, fans want to know everything about Sanela Diana Jenkins before season 12's May 11 premiere, including her career and wealth. RHOBH season 11, which ended last November, was full of ups, downs, and Erika Jayne's legal drama. Between filming during the COVID-19 pandemic and the additions of Crystal Kung Minkoff and OG Kyle Richards' sister Kathy Hilton, tensions were at an all-time high last season. From Erika fighting with Sutton Stracke, Lisa Rinna arguing with Garcelle Beauvais, and Dorit Kemsley consistently told off for talking too much; season 11 proved that no one is safe from Real Housewives drama.
With all the ladies of RHOBH season 11 returning for season 12, Diana and Sheree Zampino, who will appear as a friend of the housewives, are the only new additions to the group. Born and raised in Sarajevo, Bosnia, and Herzegovina, Diana fled the country during the Bosnian War in the early 1990s. After spending time in neighboring countries, Croatia and England, Diana eventually made her way to the United States in the early 2000s. Although Diana comes from more humble beginnings than most of her castmates, her various accomplishments (and subsequent extravagant lifestyle) have solidified her place in the elite Beverly Hills scene.
Diana's massive wealth, which Distractify says is estimated at around $300 million, is partially attributed to her previous marriage to Roger Jenkins, a British financier. Although the two divorced in 2011, Diana received about $195 million as part of their settlement. While this large sum has no doubt helped fund her lavish lifestyle, much of Diana's net worth comes from her success as an entrepreneur. After graduating from City, University of London, new housewife Diana acquired the swimwear line Melissa Odabash in 2007. Diana then founded Neuro Brands in 2008, which sells flavored lifestyle drinks at popular retailers like Amazon, Target, and Walmart.
Besides running several businesses, Diana is known for her philanthropy and humanitarianism. In 2002, Diana founded The Sanela Diana Jenkins Foundation in memory of her brother, Irnis Ćatić, to assist Bosnia with establishing schools, orphanages, and houses. According to Diana's LinkedIn, this foundation remains the "largest privately funded" organization in Bosnia. In 2009, a year after establishing Neuro Brands, Diana founded the Sanela Diana Jenkins Human Rights Project, which focuses on analyzing human and international rights within the UCLA School of Law. Diana has received several awards over the years for her work, including the Mostar Peace Connection Prize in 2009 and Elton John's AIDS foundation's Enduring Vision award in 2012.
With the RHOBH premiere on May 11 just around the corner, Real Housewives fans are excited to see what the ladies of Beverly Hills bring to the table for season 12. While all eyes will continue to be on Erika and her tumultuous personal life, viewers are already speculating on who will be the next RHOBH villain. Based on Bravo's first look, Kathy and Diana may find themselves feuding with the other women, especially with Sutton calling Diana "soulless" to her face. From growing up in communist Yugoslavia to becoming a multi-millionaire, Diana's addition to the sixth Real Housewives installment is one that will no doubt shake up the cast.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills season 12 premieres May 11 at 8 pm EST on Bravo.
Sources: Distractify, Neuro, Sanela Diana Jenkins/Instagram, Sanela Diana Jenkins/LinkedIn
