Board Member Spotlight: Sam Melehani

March 2, 2022

Meet Penny Lane Board Member Sam Melehani

If you want to change the course of your life, you must work hard for it believes Sam Melehani a Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) partner in the Asset & Wealth Management practice.  He leads a team of 50+ dedicated professionals at PwC and is an example of immigrants that come to this country and work hard to make a better life for themselves and their families.  Sam serves on the Penny Lane  Board of Directors, the PwC Foundation, the PwC Political Action Committee (PAC), he was the Co-Chair of the state and local tax subcommittee for the national association of Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs )and a state and local former tax professor with Golden Gate University.  He started his career as a California multistate tax auditor where for three years he learned and developed early career building blocks in the state and local tax area.

Sam Melehani

Sam is a world traveler because of business; and because he feels that traveling also enriches your personal experiences and is fundamental for personal development in all interactions and engagements.  To appreciate how great this country is, you must see how other countries live and run their societies.  When he is not traveling you will find Sam enjoying a round of golf with friends or with his family.  His family consists of his wife Liz married for nearly 30 years and his two daughters Julia who currently is pursuing a master’s in public health at UCLA and Elena who is pursuing a bachelors in Neuro Brain Science at UCSB.  Sam’s inspiration and example of hard work comes from his mother, who helped their family survive their early years in the US by using her sewing skills to make flowers that Sam and his father would travel from store to store to sell to generate income and provide for the family.

Philanthropic at heart , Sam has dedicated many years helping Penny Lane Centers.  Not only is Sam a long-time donor and Board Member but he also volunteers many hours to ensure that events, financial literacy workshops and drives at Penny Lane were a success.  Sam inspires his staff and others to volunteer. He is a Board Member of Penny Lane Centers because he believes that our best opportunities to help others comes from people and not from government.  Nothing is more important than giving and caring for our children and helping them create their own ways and opportunities regardless of their background and challenges. The best advise Sam says he can give the youth not only at Penny Lane Centers but to anybody thinking about their future is don't let anyone tell you can't do something; define your goals, work hard and always be willing to take small risks...he calls that "can do attitude".

Sam, we at Penny Lane Centers are so thankful for your generosity over the years; you are always ready to answer the call to serve without hesitation.

-Nydia Barakat, Penny Lane Centers