staff

The Staff at Valley West Christian Center

Meet them below. 

  • Roger Leach Founding SENIOR Pastor

    Pastor Roger Leach, the Founding Senior Pastor of Valley West Christian Center, has been in ministry for over 37years. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agronomy, a minor in Biological Science with teaching experience in Junior Colleges at Mt. San Antonio College and Merced College. Roger has a Life Time Standard Secondary and Community College Teaching Credential, he also has a degree in ministry from Berean College. Pastor Roger has also founded the Valley West Affordable Housing Non-Profit that provided and built several affordable senior housing complexes in Madera, Hanford, Taft, Richmond, Monrovia, and Van Nuys, Ca. His involvement in the senior housing stopped in 2002 due to the increased duties in Madera. In 2002, Pastor founded and became Director of Sherman Thomas Charter Schools, developing three charter schools, that have enjoyed great success in education reform.  He has been invited to several forums at Oxford college in England to share his insights of the charter school movement. Pastor Roger has a passion for teaching God's Word with simplicity and inspiration that brings understanding and insight for everyday victorious living. 

  • Lance leach Lead Pastor


    Lance Leach was born (1970) and mostly raised in Madera, a graduate of the MHS class of 1988.  His parents, Roger and Dixie Leach, raised him in church and when Valley West Christian Center was founded in the fall of 1987, Lance a senior in high school, was the first youth leader of the church.  He would go on to pursue education, but would be called back into youth Ministry in 1990 choosing to go to Christ For The Nations, in Dallas Texas.  Having only been there one year, the church was growing, and asked him in the fall of 1991 to come back to Madera and be the full time youth pastor at VWCC.   Lance would later graduate from Fresno Pacific University in 1995, and a week later marry Barbara Knepp, of Santa Maria, California and begin life and ministry with her. 

    Before becoming Lead Pastor, Lance served faithfully as VWCC Youth Pastor and then as an Associate Pastor for over 30 years.  Lance knows and values ministry to young people and students. Lance still volunteers his time to minister to youth at FCA on the Madera High Campus.  Lance has a gift and anointing to lead and enjoys serving Madera and the Central Valley.  Lance can be found teaching on a Sunday morning or leading a small group on a Wednesday night. But, Lance’s true joy in serving VWCC is getting to know all the “life stories” within our congregation.  When not serving at the church Lance enjoys spending time with his family especially his granddaughter. 

  • Prarthana "prats" samuel Childrens ministry pastor

    Prarthana, or Prats as her friends call her, has moved here to VWCC with her husband and 2 lovely children David and Michelle, from India .

    Prats grew up in a christian and ministry home, but found a personal relationship with God at the age of 17 and hasn’t looked back since then.

    She has a master’s degree in English and work experience as a freelance set and costume designer, but her biggest joy has been to volunteer in kid’s ministry since 2000.

    She has served in various capacities of KidMin over decades and now serves as our full-time Children’s Pastor.

    Prats and her husband and children are very happy to make Madera their home and mission field and feel passionately about working for the good of Valley West Christian Center and the community of Madera.


  • Nelson Baker youth pastor

    Nelson Baker is a husband to Sophie Rose and has two wonderful children, Ephraim and Noa. He grew up in the mission field of South America, living in Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina. Nelson comes from a family of ordained ministers, with his grandparents and parents all serving for the sake of the Gospel. He served as Worship Leader at Dinuba Naz Church from 2013-2019 and was a former Pastor of Kingdom Pursuit Church Ministries, serving in worshiping all over 2021-2023. His journey started with a fire that was kindled right here in our very own Reality Youth back in 2005. Nelson was ordained as a minister through United Christian Faith Ministries in February 2020. 


    At the core of Nelson's ministry is gratitude and worship, which he believes is the starting point of our pursuit of our Heavenly Father. His aim is to create a place where teens constantly encounter the love of the Father, which was revealed to us in Christ Jesus. He firmly believes that it is the love of the Father that draws us to repentance (a changed mind and heart), and that this allows teens to ask questions and grow closer to God in new and beautiful ways. Nelson is dedicated to creating opportunities for your teens to feel the value of their calling, knowing that each one is uniquely and wonderfully made. He believes that it is your teens that will bring the light of Christ to this darkened world.


  • Shabin Thangamani Worship Ministry Pastor

    Shabin Thangamani and his beautiful family come from India. 

    Shabin is a worship leader, songwriter filled with passion for worship ministry and his calling is to equip worship teams of adults and youth worship leaders to be excellent in their worship and in their walk with Jesus. 

    He has over a decade of experience in leading worship in India with different denominations and people of multiple ethnicities. 

    Shabin has written, composed and released his own songs and represented India on a multinational music platform. 

    He and his family share our common love for serving the church here at Valley West Christian Center and the people and the community of Madera.


  • Mariann m perez Executive Secretary

    Mariann M. Perez spent her childhood in Riverdale, CA and then moved to Madera in 1988, where she later graduated from Madera High School. She gave her life to Jesus in January of 1990 and has never looked back. She has been a part of Valley West Christian Center ever since, other than working in ministry in Louisiana from 1994 – 1996. Mariann has had the privilege of serving on numerous mission trips to Mexico, Costa Rica, and several European countries, as well as, local mission opportunities. Mariann graduated cum laude from Fresno Pacific University in 2002 and began to work full time as the Executive Secretary for Valley West Christian Center in 2003.


    Mariann has been married to her best friend, Paul T. Perez, since 2001 and is the mother to four life-changing children, three amazing in-law children, and the Mima to seven beautiful grandchildren.

  • Sandy arter Director of Personal care

    Sandy Arter has been attending Valley West Christian Center for 31 years. For the past 25 years she has been part of the church staff. Sandy started working in the Children's Ministry with the leaders and directed the ministry for 10 years. For the past 10 years Sandy has worked in Care Visitation where she visits shut-ins and those who are in rest homes or hospitals. Sandy also helps coordinate Valley West's Hospitality team and is part of the Madera Rescue Mission Auxiliary.


    Sandy is married with four children, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. 

  • Megeane Von Flue & Vanessa Nunez Nursery Directors

    Megeane and Vanessa serve as our Nursery Directors. As mothers, they understand the value of serving parents in this capacity.  Both Megeane and Vanessa believe that children can be ministered to just as much as adults during church services and they have built a team who every service are ready to receive and love those precious gifts of life. 

  • alfonso Martinez Director of Media and livestream

    Alfonso Martinez faithfully serves in a way that allows us to reach so many more lives each and every Sunday.  Alfonso leads an amazing team well trained in the area of media and visual arts.  Alfonso has been certified and trained by local tech giant BitWise. Alfonso and wife Elsie have called VWCC home for many years having been a part of the youth group and VWCC magazine publication.