Who is Katie Rost? Get to Know the Fashionista of Potomac

If there's anyone who knows what it takes to make it in Potomac society, it's Katie Rost. The Real Housewives of Potomac model and TV personality may look young, but, in addition to being born and bred in this prestigious Maryland community, she already has a wealth of life experience. So don't be surprised if we see Katie use that to her advantage when RHOP premieres in January. 

What else should you know about Katie before the newest Real Housewives series hits the air? Read on to find out all the places her life has taken her.

Katie is a working woman, and she sure knows how to work it in front of the camera, too. After growing up in Potomac, Katie moved to New York to pursue a career in modeling, and she has found success in this field for more than a decade. Katie has done everything from walking the runway for high fashion houses like Lanvin and Chanel to doing commercial work for major brands like Macy's, CoverGirl, and L'Oréal. These days, Katie has had a steady stream of work with QVC, modeling brands like H by Halston and the Nicole Richie Collection. And style isn't just a part of Katie's job; it's her life. Vogue asked Katie to join The Vogue 100 in 2009 to serve as an arbiter of style among other fashionable women from around the country. Expect many major fashion moments from Katie on RHOP this season.

RHOP won't be Katie's TV debut. She got her start as one of the hosts of BET's teen talk show Teen Summit before graduating from Boston University in 2001 with a degree in broadcast journalism, according to the bio on her official website. Katie then worked as a celebrity correspondent on Direct Access with Big Tigger, which covers entertainment news in the Washington, D.C. area. Through her segment, "Katie's Celebrity Hookup," Katie kept viewers up-to-date on the latest celeb news as well as rubbed elbows with the likes of John Legend, Swizz Beatz, and Selita Ebanks. So Katie should be a pro when it's time for her to handle the media as a RHOP cast member.

Even when she's not working, Katie seems to attract notable individuals. She has been seen out and about with plenty of famous faces recently, including Hollywood stars (Tracee Ellis Ross), musicians (Usher, Sean Lennon), and political pundits (Chris Matthews, James Carville). Everyone's going to want to be friends with Katie once RHOP hits.

And to further prove the above point, Katie was also once linked to hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. Even though they're not an item anymore, it looks like Katie and Russell have remained friends. Here's hoping their friendship is solid enough for Russell to make a cameo on RHOP.

Katie first got married in 2012 to James Orsini, a doctor she met when the two were undergrads at Boston University. At first they were just friends, but they fell in love with each other after reconnecting many years post-graduation. That marriage was short-lived, and these days, Katie is in a serious relationship with boyfriend Andrew Martin, an investment executive. Andrew looks like he fits right in with Katie and her family, so it's possible the RHOP cast member could become a wife once again.

Katie had three children with her first husband: three-year-old James Rocco and 14-month-old twin daughters Kathryn and Renee. We definitely know where they get their adorable fashion sense.

Being a single mom is tough, but it's a little easier when you have a strong support system, as Katie does from her mom Rynthia Rost. Not only do Katie and her mother seem to be incredibly close, but Rynthia is also an inspiration in her own right. Rynthia has served as the vice president of public affairs at Geico since 1994 and was honored as one of JW Magazine's "10 Women to Watch" in 2011. Having that kind of role model growing up, Katie is basically guaranteed to be a good mom.

Katie grew up Jewish, and she has been busy teaching her children some of the traditions of the religion as well. But as the RHOP supertease reveals, Katie still has some work to do in teaching her fellow 'Wives about Jewish customs.

Somehow Katie and her mother found some spare time to establish the Ronald F. Rost Charitable Foundation in 2006. Katie and Rynthia still run the non-profit, which was founded in honor of Katie's father who passed away in 2000. The organization aims to help youth in the community through recreation, enrichment, and leadership activities. Katie has helped raise tons of money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Imagination Stage's children's theater, according to the bio on her website. We're sure to see her express her philanthropic self on RHOP this season.

See more of Katie when RHOP premieres on Sunday, January 17 at 9/8c.