Kadima Selmani: Mob Wives Star Drita D’Avanzo’s Private Mother

Introduction

Every reality TV star has a family that never signed up for the cameras. For Drita D’Avanzo, one of the most recognizable faces on VH1’s Mob Wives, that includes her mother, Kadima Selmani. Drita fought, cried, and built a business for viewers to watch, while her mother largely stayed away from the spotlight.

That privacy explains why so many people search for information about Kadima Selmani. They want to know who she is, where the family comes from, and what kind of home helped shape Drita’s personality.

The answer remains relatively simple: Kadima has kept her life private. Little reliable information exists about her personally. This biography brings together the public information available about her, explains the family story surrounding her, and separates documented details from claims that lack solid sourcing.

Who Is Kadima Selmani?

Kadima Selmani is best known as the mother of Drita D’Avanzo. She has not pursued a public career, regularly appeared in media interviews, or joined her daughter as a cast member.

In 2017, she received one of her clearest moments of mainstream attention. VH1 published a feature highlighting the striking resemblance between Drita and her mother, Kadima Selmani. The story followed a throwback photo that Drita had shared, and fans quickly noticed the family resemblance.

Since then, Kadima’s public identity has remained closely connected to her daughter. She never pursued the spotlight herself. However, Drita often discussed her family during her television career, which made Kadima a familiar name among longtime Mob Wives viewers.

Family Background of Kadima Selmani

Albanian Roots, New Life in New York

The Selmani family’s story connects to the Balkans and the Albanian-American community of Staten Island. Drita was born in Staten Island and grew up in Todt Hill after her family immigrated from Albania.

Staten Island already had a significant Albanian-American community, and the Selmanis became part of that broader community. Drita grew up in Todt Hill, one of the borough’s more affluent neighborhoods. Therefore, the family’s move from the Balkans to New York represents an important part of Drita’s early background.

Kadima’s husband adds another dimension to the family’s heritage. Fordham University has described Ness Selmani as having Albanian ancestry and growing up in Kosovo. This background reflects the broader history of Albanian communities whose family roots extend across present-day Albania and Kosovo.

What Has Not Been Verified

Several biography websites publish Kadima Selmani’s supposed date of birth, birthplace, and zodiac sign. However, those pages generally do not provide reliable primary sources for the information. Some websites also give conflicting details about her background.

For that reason, readers should treat those personal details as unverified unless a family member or reputable source confirms them. The same caution applies to claims about Kadima’s education, employment history, or the circumstances surrounding her marriage. Reliable public sources do not currently provide enough information to establish those details.

Kadima Selmani’s Husband: Nezir “Ness” Selmani

While Kadima has maintained a private life, her husband has enjoyed a considerably more public professional career. Nezir Selmani, commonly known as Ness, built a long career in American soccer.

Fordham University’s athletics website identified him as a longtime head coach of the Rams women’s soccer program. During his tenure, he helped establish the program as a competitive Atlantic 10 team. The program reached the conference championship five times in ten seasons.

His coaching experience extends well beyond Fordham. Over the years, Ness coached Olympic Development State teams, Boys’ and Girls’ Empire State teams, and several semi-professional clubs in the region. One notable achievement came with the New York State Albanians, who finished the 1989–90 season with a 20-0-4 record.

In addition, Ness remained involved in the local soccer community. He served as Director of Coaching for the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and wrote about World Cup soccer for the Staten Island Advance. He also holds a U.S. Soccer Federation “A” coaching license.

Because Fordham’s available profile is an older page, readers should not assume that it reflects his current coaching status.

Home and Soccer

Soccer also played a significant role in Drita’s childhood. She grew up playing the sport, while her father coached and trained her. During the 1990s, she played goalkeeper at Susan Wagner High School.

These details provide some insight into the family’s sporting environment. Her father’s involvement placed discipline, training, and competition at the center of Drita’s athletic development. At the same time, no reliable public record explains Kadima’s specific role in that aspect of family life.

Drita D’Avanzo, Daughter of Kadima Selmani

Most searches for Kadima Selmani eventually lead to her better-known daughter. Drita D’Avanzo (née Selmani, born February 6, 1976) became a television personality through VH1’s Mob Wives, where she appeared from 2011 to 2016. She also appeared in the Big Ang spinoff.

Mob Wives followed women connected to Staten Island and families affected by organized-crime cases. Drita quickly became one of the show’s recognizable personalities. Viewers also saw her discuss motherhood, relationships, and her daughters.

Her television career extended beyond Mob Wives. She appeared on Celebrity Ghost Stories and Watch What Happens Live! VH1 also cast her in the 2017 reality series Scared Famous.

Before television brought her wider attention, Drita worked as a freelance makeup artist for high-end cosmetic brands. She later launched her own beauty line, “Lady Boss by Drita.” Her career therefore includes both entertainment and business ventures.

Notable Events and Important Public Mentions

The Viral Photo of Mother and Daughter

Kadima Selmani’s most widely discussed public moment came through a simple family photograph. Drita shared an old picture showing her resemblance to her mother, and VH1 highlighted the striking similarities between them.

The feature offered viewers a rare glimpse of Kadima without turning her into a reality television personality. It also drew attention to the family resemblance that Drita’s daughters appear to share.

Family in the Spotlight

The Selmani family later attracted attention through events involving Drita and her then-husband, Lee D’Avanzo. In December 2019, authorities raided the couple’s home and arrested them. Prosecutors dismissed the charges against Drita in February 2020. Lee later pleaded guilty to a federal gun charge and received a 64-month prison sentence.

Importantly, public reports do not connect Kadima Selmani to those legal events. Her name appears in the broader family story because of her relationship with Drita, not because of any documented involvement in the case.

Kadima Selmani Family Table

Relationship	Name	Publicly Known Information
Self	Kadima Selmani	Private family life; mother of Drita D’Avanzo
Spouse	Nezir “Ness” Selmani	Veteran soccer coach and longtime Fordham women’s soccer coach
Daughter	Drita D’Avanzo (née Selmani)	Mob Wives star, makeup artist, and founder of Lady Boss by Drita
Son-in-law	Lee D’Avanzo	Married Drita in 2000; Drita announced their separation in 2024
Grandchildren	Two granddaughters	Born in 2001 and 2007
Extended family	Florina Kaja	Drita’s cousin and Bad Girls Club personality

Public biographical information confirms Drita’s marriage in 2000, her two daughters born in 2001 and 2007, and her family connection to Florina Kaja. However, reliable information about any additional children Kadima may have had remains limited, so this table includes only relationships that can be reasonably documented.

The Kadima Selmani Story – The Personal Side

Kadima’s privacy stands out because her daughter’s celebrity career involved sharing personal experiences with millions of viewers. Reality television often brings relatives into family dinners, celebrations, disagreements, and other personal moments. Kadima, however, largely remained outside that world.

Her story also reflects a pattern familiar among many immigrant families. Parents move to a new country, establish a home, and raise children who may later experience a very different level of public attention. The Selmani family’s connection to Staten Island and the Albanian-American community forms an important part of Drita’s background.

Kadima is also a grandmother. Drita has two daughters, born in 2001 and 2007, and the earlier VH1 feature highlighted the resemblance shared across generations. Beyond those public details, Kadima’s day-to-day relationship with her grandchildren remains private.

Recent Appearances in Public

Kadima Selmani does not appear to maintain a verified public social media profile. Instead, photographs and mentions associated with her generally come from posts shared by Drita or other people discussing the family.

Meanwhile, more recent public attention has focused on Drita’s personal life. In March 2024, Drita announced that she had separated from her husband following the legal events that began in 2020. Kadima has not publicly commented on that matter or on other recent family developments.

As a result, the limited public information about Kadima remains consistent with the private life she has maintained for years. She became known because of her daughter, yet she has largely chosen to remain outside the public spotlight.

Kadima Selmani Frequently Asked Questions

Who Is Kadima Selmani?

Kadima Selmani is the mother of Drita D’Avanzo, the VH1 Mob Wives television personality. Unlike her daughter, Kadima has maintained a largely private life and has not pursued a public entertainment career.

Who Is Kadima Selmani’s Husband?

Kadima Selmani’s husband is Nezir “Ness” Selmani, a veteran soccer coach. He spent many years involved with Fordham University’s women’s soccer program and has extensive coaching experience in the New York area.

Was Kadima Selmani a Mob Wives Star?

No reliable cast information lists Kadima Selmani as a Mob Wives cast member. The show featured her daughter Drita and other women connected to the series.

How Old Is Kadima Selmani?

Reliable public sources do not confirm Kadima Selmani’s age or date of birth. Although some biography websites publish specific dates, those claims generally lack supporting documentation.

Where Was Kadima Selmani Born?

Some online sources make specific claims about Kadima Selmani’s birthplace and family background. However, reliable public documentation does not sufficiently verify those details, so they should be treated cautiously.

How Many Children Does Kadima Selmani Have?

Kadima has at least one publicly documented daughter, Drita D’Avanzo, who has two daughters of her own. Reliable public information about whether Kadima had additional children remains limited.

Is Kadima Selmani Active on Social Media?

Kadima Selmani does not appear to have a verified public social media profile. Most publicly available photographs and mentions of her come from posts shared by Drita or other people connected to the family.