Christian Valeriani and Jeanie Coomber are the co-founders and the magic of Sama Solutions, and they each bring their own brand of energy and expertise to the company. While their personalities and experiences may differ, they share a common vision. They know deep down that many companies in America need help, and they need it now. Not with designing a better widget; not with producing more of them; and certainly not with developing creative financial formulas. Their message lies elsewhere.

Companies need to restore core values and corporate health in other ways. They need to improve client and corporate communication; they need to boost morale and job satisfaction for their staff; they need to reduce devastating employee turnover; and they need to focus their energies in the right places. That's what Sama helps you do, and that's where our founders are experts. Here are their stories.

Christian's Bio

"There's so much more to building a successful career than working endless hours, chasing one more dollar, and fighting all your natural instincts for friendship, living a healthy life style, and finding personal and professional growth. If you can't find balance, you can't sustain success in any undertaking. This is true in your personal life, and it is true in business."

Deliberate in his speech, slow to form opinions, and measured in his actions, Christian is the perfect balance to Jeanie's infectious enthusiasm. He lived hard and fast earlier in life, and he came to realize that he needed to change course. Dramatically. As a broker/trader for Smith Barney and Merrill Lynch, Christian lived the high life. Work hard, sell harder, and play harder yet. Over time, Christian came to believe that making a buck at any cost; talking clients into things instead of building substantive relationships, and burning his candle to the point of exhaustion was not a sustainable life style. He pushed his chair back and viewed the frenzied, unhealthy life style rampant on Wall Street. He saw brokers horde knowledge and poach accounts from their co-workers; he saw workers and management enduring the work day and not learning from it; he saw destructive and stressful behavior at every turn, and he said "enough." He knew this was not healthy for him, and it was not healthy for business.

After lengthy research and planning, after finding a partner who shared his vision, after hundreds of hours of yoga and introspection, Christian realized he could make a difference. A big difference. He and Jeanie founded Sama Solutions with the goal of helping companies rediscover many of the core values that made them great in the first place. Leadership that wasn't "me first," open lines of communication receptive to a brisk flow of ideas, a spirit of teamwork, and building for the long term, not the fast buck. Since their inception, Christian has been instrumental in building a client base that any Wall Street firm would be proud of, a client base that keeps coming back for more, and a set of programs that makes life in the workplace more satisfying for employees and improves the bottom lines for companies.

Christian is also an athlete and outdoorsman. He played rugby in college; he backpacks and hikes the steepest mountain trails he can find; and he can't resist a pick-up basketball game. He graduated from Rutgers University; he is a certified yoga instructor and vinyasa; and he is a poker player with keen observational and analytical skills. Take him on at your own risk.

Jeanie's Bio

"I am an avid student of human nature and corporate culture, and my colleagues often refer to me as the corporate zen master."

Energetic, effusive, and expertly knowledgeable in her profession, Jeanie's enthusiasm is contagious. You can't help but smile when she's around and appreciate the dedication and talent she brings to her work. Mostly you benefit from it. Jeanie is a lover of life, and she knows you must find balance. In her case, this means being a full-time instructor and coach, founding and running a thriving business, honing her professional skills at every opportunity, and being a wife and mother of two youngsters. Simply put, she can juggle feathers in a windstorm with the equanimity of a swami.

Jeanie worked for 15 years as Vice President for a prestigious financial services company. She was the relationship manger for major accounts such as Bank of America and AXA Financial, and she was the first call her clients made when there were any technical, financial, administrative, or other client needs. She was the financial expert, promotions expert, team leader, and soother of client concerns. More importantly, she was a thoughtful observer noting with increasing concern the mad dash for the quick buck, the eroding set of core values, and the profit frenzy in the financial sector. But those attributes were not just limited to financial services; they permeated business across the country. People were losing their sense of teamwork in favor of a "me first" attitude. They were doing time at work, suffering through it instead of building a career and growing personally. They were jumping from job to job only to find that their latest venture was even less satisfying than their last.

Every day Jeanie brings a spirit of dedication and a wealth of expertise to the task of building teamwork, improving corporate communications, and making life and careers more satisfying for thousands of people. And while she is an acknowledged expert in her field, it's her love for her work that distinguishes her from others. She knows that with some effort and a little understanding, malaise can turn into productivity, acrimony into enthusiasm, and discontent into satisfaction.

Jeanie received her communications degree from Wilkes University, is a member of the International Coaching Federation, and is chair-elect of the Eastern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce. She is also an avid runner, Yoga practitioner, and fitness savant.