District Governor
Lion Cheri Provancha was born in San Diego and raised in La Mesa, CA, and attended high school and college in Windsor and Fort Collins, CO. She joined the US Army through the ROTC program at Colorado State University in 1984. She retired at the rank of Colonel after serving 30 years in uniform which included five combat tours. Lion Cheri currently works for Community Health System as a service line Vice President for Supply Chain, Clinical Engineering, and Security. Lion Cheri believes in lifelong learning and actively pursues opportunities for growth. She holds a BS in Psychology from Colorado State University, an MPA from Golden Gate University, an MSS from the US Army War College, and a DBA in Management from Northcentral University. Lion Cheri has been with her lifelong friend and partner Lion Diana for 32 years. When the Defense of Marriage Act was overturned in 2013, they were finally able to marry.
After retiring from the US Army, Lion Cheri sought out a way to be in further service to her community. The Visalia Pride Lions Club offered her a home for her to pursue her passion for service. Lion Cheri and her spouse Lion Diana joined the Visalia Pride Lions Club in 2014. She has served as Club President, Zone Chair, Region Chair, and as the District’s Cabinet Secretary for three years. She is a certified Guiding Lion, a graduate of RLLI, and an FDI-certified instructor. During her tenure as Club President, she led the club in service to be recognized by MD4 as the Club of the Year in 2016. While Zone Chair, she brought the zone clubs together to provide a ”Book Nook” for a housing project sponsored by Self Help Enterprises. She was recognized as the District Lion of the Year in 2021 and is a Melvin Jones Fellow.
Lion Cheri’s passion is service. She is dedicated to serve her community and in leading Lions in service.
3403 W. Perez Ave., Visalia, CA 93291
H: 559-733-0720; C: 360-970-3642;
E: [email protected]
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1st Vice District Governor
Lion Marco Martinez was born in Bakersfield, CA and raised in McFarland, CA. and a graduate of McFarland High School. He enlisted in the U. S. Army in June 1975 and stationed in Fort Hood, TX where he attended Central Texas College and received an AS in Applied Science in Automotive Technology. After completing his three-year enlistment and returning home, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve and worked as an automotive technician and promoting to Service Manager for Delano Lincoln Ford Mercury Dealership. Lion Marco changed his career path and completed the California Correctional Academy (CDCR) and worked at various State Prisons retiring with 25 years of service at the rank of Sergeant and retired from the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of First Sergeant with 33 years of service and four combat tours. Furthering his education, Lion Marco received a BS in Security Science and Management from St. Lourdes College. Lion Marco has been married to Lion Margie for 43 years and have two children Jacob and Lion Emilia and one grandson Cub Emmitt.
After retiring from CDCR and U.S. Army Reserve, Lion Marco and Margie became Lion members of the McFarland Lions Club. He has served as Club President, Club Secretary, Zone Chair, Region Chair and as District GST for the past three years. Also, Lions Marco and Margie have been Leo Advisors for the McFarland Roaring Leos Club for the past seven years. During his tenure as Club President the McFarland Lions Club were awarded the Club Excellence Award and as Zone Chair, Lion Marco was able to bring Zone One clubs together and complete joint projects such as CAPK Food Distributions and Paint Nite. Currently Lion Marco is a certified Guiding Lion, Vision Screener and Graduate of RLLI and recently was awarded the MD4 Excellence medal. Lion Marco was also awarded in the past, Club, Region and District Lion of the Year awards and the 100% Secretary’s Award.
In addition to his Lion activities, Lion Marco is the Chairman of the Planning Commission for the City of McFarland and has served as Secretary for the McFarland Veteran’s Committee. His hobby for the past thirty-five years has been collecting International Parachutists Wings; current collection at 4,000 pieces. Lion Marco’s true passion is serving his community and proud to be a Lion.
212 7th Street, McFarland, CA 93250
C: 661.428.9090
2nd Vice District Governor
Lion Rose was born in Bay City Michigan while her parents were migrating for work. Upon their return to Texas, her parents came to CA at the age of 2, starting in the Fresno, Sanger and Corcoran area. Her father liked to take long drives and he found Richgrove, they moved there in 1953, she was 6. Lion Rose has been there ever since.
After her marriage in 1965, they decided to move to LA. She worked part-time at a Parochial School and was involved in their Parent Club and Booster Club. She was a Den Mother for Boys Scouts. Her marriage broke up and she had to work full time, her first job was at Bank of America, then got a job as a Legal Secretary at Legal Aide Foundation, they were part of the Cesar Chavez movement. She attended an event for Cesar Chavez. She lived there til 1980. The life style was too fast for her. Her boys were
getting older and they were being approached by gangs. Her husband strayed. Rose moved back to Richgrove with her 4 children in 1980. She worked at Delano High School, was involved with organizations there. While working at the DH Adult Ed School, she was convinced to get her HS Diploma, as she had dropped out in 1965. After two years she got a job at Richgrove School, 1983, until she retired in 2013. In 1995 she helped with a grant for the Richgrove School Preschool, where she was
secretary for 5 years. She went to college to get her BS. There she was involved with school activities, she tried to organize a PTA, she did put together a Parent Club. She started a Girl Scout Troop due to her young 8-year-old daughter, which she ran for 10 years, her daughter was now in HS. As Town Council member she was instrumental in bringing sidewalk curbs and cutters to the community which
was completed in 2009, which was Richgroves’ Centential. She was a board member of the Richgrove Community Service District. She was instrumental in starting the process of a Park.
In 2002, Lion Rose was approached by Lion Club from Delano where a community member was a member, she was asked to start a Lions Club in Richgrove. The community member and some Delano Lions started Richgrove Lions. Since 2002, Lion Rose has dedicated herself to help community members whenever there is a need. She organizes fundraisers, school carnivals, food sales and since 2016 worked the Kern County Fair for 4 hours each day for 12 days for student Scholarships, Food Baskets during the holidays, and whenever there is a need. Lion Rose started as a Tailtwister, was president for two years, treasurer for several years and secretary for a lot of years. For the district she has been So Region Chairs twice Zone I Chair three times. Graduated from RCLL in 2024. Lion Rose is a dedicated servant of the Community and is proud to be a Lion. She Serves.