Becky Goudy

"There is nothing more hopeful than a genuinely happy and empowered child."

Becky has been empowering the lives of her clients for 20 years. Becky enjoys advocating for the needs of Artplay clients, often becoming a liaison with teachers and schools. She believes in helping kids with self-regulation and stability, always encouraging genuineness. At Artplay, Becky is incorporating her love for art with her exceptional therapeutic knowledge. She connects with parents easily, making sure that they know what they can be doing to support the emotional development of their child.

Becky spent her childhood in Australia and California, before moving to Arizona in order to raise her family. She completed her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, plus her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling at Ottawa University, in Phoenix. With her extensive education and experience, Becky is an asset to the children that attend Artplay.

Allison "Allie" Gray

"I see magic when a client is connecting with their feelings so that they are able to be their true selves."

Allie's youth was spent in Phoenix, before moving to Los Angeles to attend The Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. She graduated with a degree in Fashion Design and for 13 years, Allie worked for major manufacturers and retailers, creating clothing lines for Target, Disney and others. It was a growing experience that, in turn, led her to wanting to be in a more helping-related profession. So, Allie decided to move back to Arizona in order to help under-served children in our community, using art. From there, Allie took the valuable tools that she had gained, plus her Support Specialist Certification, in order to work as a Behavior Coach and Mentor to kids in the foster system. Now, at Artplay, Allie is focused on helping kids, 6-18 years old, to lower their anxiety and build strong self-identities using her playful, gentle guidance. Being a lover of animals, she always has a therapy pet in her space.

Julia Mata

"At Artplay, I believe it's important for kids to fall in love with the process, not just the product."

Julia brings a warm, empathetic spirit to the Artplay team. She grew up in El Paso, Texas, before moving to Arizona to start her career-life. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Missouri Valley College as well as completing her Master’s Degree in Counseling with a concentration in Expressive Arts Therapy from Ottawa University, in Phoenix.

Julia is especially interested in sports mentality, being passionate about how sport can shape a child's self-identity in positive ways. With her deep understanding for the creative process, she’s committed to walking alongside clients as they learn to communicate their needs in healthy ways. Julia strives to guide children toward their brightest, most authentic selves, loving to help kids of all ages.

Maya Probst

"I am a happy and relaxed empath... so my goal is to be that person for all of my Artplay clients."

Mayelin "Maya" is an ambitious human, seeking out all the ways to help kids through her career, as well as volunteer work, including helping teens at a group home. Maya is versed in sensory input as she has worked extensively with autistic clients. This fact means that she can teach self-regulation with confidence. She knows how to foster independence in kids, so they can manage their own emotions on the daily.

Maya has a fantastic art background, having won awards for drawing, as well as exhibitions for the Disney Family Museum. Her loving grandmother was an artist who promoted art with Maya until dementia took hold. This experience with her grandma infuenced Maya to seek out a career in art therapy. Maya is currently doing online psychology education with South New Hampshire University in order to hone her therapy skills further.

Eva Delgadillo

"Artplay has created an environment where I can tailor sessions to meet the unique needs of each child... so child-centric!"

Eva has always been passionate about working with children and adolescents, feeling fortunate to have over 20 years of experience in this field. She takes a compassionate and down-to-earth approach to therapy, meeting clients exactly where they are at. As a bilingual therapist (English and Spanish), she strives to provide a safe and welcoming space where clients can feel seen, heard, plus supported.

Having lived in Arizona since 2002, after being raised in Mexico, Eva earned two degrees at ASU. The highest level degree Eva completed is a Master's in Social Work. Eva is also a Registered Behavior Technician (RBT), as well as having a certification in suicide prevention. She has all the credentials, but most importantly, Eva loves The Artplay Way of helping kids... the non-clinical setting where goals can be met because the child loves attending.

Orren Reeves

"They say it takes a village and I find joy in playing my part in the lives of my kid clients."

Orren moved to Arizona from Illinois, specifically to expand her career choices. She has a passion for helping children build confidence so they can advocate for themselves. In Illinois, Orren worked for seven years helping kids at the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, where she learned a lot about how to treat kids with care. Another job Orren had was as a mobile crisis worker, making use of her Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (CTI) training. She has experience in trauma, foster care, adoption, anxiety, plus grief and loss.

Orren earned her Master's Degree in Family Consumer & Sciences at Eastern Illinios University, followed by a Master's Degree of Social Work at Aurora University in Illinois. She also has a BA in Criminal Justice and Sociology. For fun, Orren loves on her nieces and nephews, always feeling fulfilled by kids! At Artplay, she enjoys helping children between the ages of 7 to 18 years old.

Liz Tomko, Owner

"I created Artplay to give kids a healthy place to lower anxiety, while also growing their emotional intelligence."

Liz saw that there was a gap in expressive art services for kids in Phoenix, Arizona. So, in 2010, she decided to change that by opening Artplay, a safe place for kids to explore their feelings through art-making and sensory play in a non-clinical setting. Liz earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from Texas Tech University in 1997. She then moved to Arizona, where she worked as a graphic designer for 10 years, at which point, Liz decided to shift careers to a more helping-like profession. She received her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling (MAPC) with a Specialty in Expressive Arts Therapy from Ottawa University, in Phoenix. Then, Liz asserted her independence and founded Artplay. She continually and carefully grows Artplay in order to help as many kids in the community as possible.

Mike Tomko, Co-owner

"Making sure everything inside and outside of the building looks nice and is functional just adds to the positivity of Artplay."

You will see Mike puttering around the Artplay office as he busies himself with all the background Artplay needs, being the building manager. He is also our IT guy, so if you need help with connecting to the internet, or you need a unique charger, he will be the guy you want to ask. He is a very kind and approachable human, so don't hesitate to seek him out.

Mike is a graphic designer by trade, with his office inside the Artplay building, so if you need a logo, website or other branding for your own business, you can find his contact info at tomkodesign.com.

Popcorn and Runt

These delightful-sounding sisters lead by example on how to get along with siblings. When they are frustrated with each other, they know how to separate out, so fights don't happen. When they are needing support, they so funnily stack on top of each other for comfort.

Dottie

Dottie is our sweet, explorative leopard gecko. She helps the children feel welcome by coming to the glass to say “hello” when they arrive at Artplay, as her beautiful cage sits by the entry. This therapy pet really knows how to show kids the way to be regulated because she is so chill.

Bubbles and Sushi

These playful fish were donated to Artplay after a client won them at the State Fair. Their parents thought, "Artplay would love to take care of these fish!" And they were right! We have had them since 2019, and we attribute their longevity to the love they receive from Artplay kids.

Sunny

We are fostering Sunny while an Artplay family is overseas. Our clients have so much kindness to share with Sunny, who's name suits him perfectly... he is a bright sunshine color, plus his disposition is so radiant. When you pet his head, he calmly closes his eyes to soak in the rays of love.