Bios

Liz Tomko (owner)

The Child Whisperer

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 found inspiration for her calling while growing up in the outback of Australia. Her local high school art teacher told Liz to one day become an Art Therapist, as she was naturally helping fellow students process their emotions through their art. Liz moved back to the U.S. and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) at Texas Tech in 1997. She then moved to Arizona, where she worked as a graphic designer for 10 years. At that point, Liz took the wise advice of her outback art teacher and received her Master of Arts in Professional Counseling (MAPC) with a Specialty in Expressive Arts Therapy at Ottawa University in Phoenix. Then, Liz asserted her independence and founded Artplay. She continually grows Artplay in order to help as many kids in the community as possible.

Becky Goudy

The Kid Empowerist

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

The Caring Creative

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 beyond. 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. She provided them with a safe place to express themselves openly. 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, for kids that love to practice nurturing.

Whitney Eilders

The Expressive Artist

Whitney was born and raised on Long Island, New York. Upon completion of her BA in Art History with a minor in Studio Art from Stony Brook University, she moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she earned a Master’s Degree in Expressive Arts Therapy. Whitney holds the value of self expression in high regard, as her mother was also an art therapist.

After completing grad school, and yearning for a new environment, Whitney moved to San Francisco, where she sang and wrote lyrics in a band, played soccer and painted. Then, with her husband and two small children, Whitney came to Phoenix in 2018. While being a mom-close-to-home, she has led kids camps, as well as using her fine arts skills as a muralist for local Arizona businesses. Now, with her own children being older and more self-sufficient, Whitney has joined Artplay in order to help kids feel empowered by the knowledge of themselves and the world around them. 

Sharla Phelps

The Compassionate Heart

Sharla is a Certified Grief Counselor, as well as a Play Therapist who recently moved to Arizona from the Northwest. She is tickled-pink to join Artplay because she loves helping kids of all ages, with different issues, to manage their own emotions. Sharla has been supporting children who have experienced loss in their lives, at camps, and in several hospice settings. She is now interested in broadening her helping skills to kids outside of bereavement. Her ability to do this is largely successful because Sharla’s ability to make kids feel safe is unparalleled.

For education, Sharla earned her Bachelor of Arts, as well as her Masters in Social Work from Boise State University. She also completed her Play Therapy Curriculum, plus she became a Certified Grief Counselor in 2022. Sharla’s main strength is her compassion for all humans big or small (aka, parents and kids alike).

Shannon Carter

The Connection-maker

Shannon was born and raised in our sunny state of Arizona. Her life goal has been to work with kids, in hopes of helping each child feel comfort in opening up to explore their authentic self. She has a diverse background, working in a variety of settings, including being a medical assistant, a school counselor and more recently in a clinical psychology office as a PhD intern. In each setting, Shannon has enjoyed creating strong relationships with her clients. She believes that human connection is the most vital part of working through difficult emotions. 

For education, Shannon completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Grand Canyon University. She also achieved her Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology and is currently working on her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Shannon combines her extensive knowledge-base with her love for the arts, to help Artplay kids learn calming techniques that will last them a lifetime.

Orren Reeves

The Genuine One

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.

Lynn Presley

The Listener

Lynn has her Master’s Degree in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology & Family Studies, both from The University of Arizona. Using her knowledge, Lynn’s goal at Artplay is to help kids in a therapeutic capacity to become less anxious and more confident. She most enjoys supporting kids with mood issues or trauma by promoting verbal sharing in unison with using art as a catalyst for opening up. Lynn also has her parent coach certification, so she enjoys guiding parents - post-session - to better support their children.

The amount of experience that Lynn has accrued over time makes her a true asset to Artplay families. She has worked in a hospital setting, with Child Protective Services, in the Foster Care system, at an Adolescent Recovery Center, as a Court Appointed Advocate, as well as being an Educational & Treatment Consultant. She is also kind beyond words, which means Lynn has it all!

Periwinkle

The Mellow Man

If kids want to be followed around the room, this pet rat will do just that! He loves human interaction. Periwinkle is a big fan of custom-made toys for his cage, so kids can create items that he attaches to immediately (giving clients a chance to nurture, plus feel pride).

Dottie

The Hello Gecko

Dottie is our sweet, pretty, explorative leopard gecko. She helps the children feel welcomed by coming to the glass to say “hello” and makes them giggle by climbing on her branch and in her trees while on the hunt for her food! This therapy pet really knows how show kids the way to be regulated and chill.

Priscilla de la Lotus

The Darling Spiny Mammal

Priscilla helps kids learn about boundaries, reading signals and respect, by giving clear signs about how she’s feeling. Kids can learn to communicate their own needs by following her example... we always know just how Priscilla feels (sometimes she even makes a huffing sound)!

Popcorn and Runt

The Squabbling Sisters

Popcorn (because she pops from stick to stick in the cage) and Runt (for obvious reasons) are sisters that sometimes quarrel, but mostly get along. They are an excellent point of conversation with kids that have siblings. Plus, they come out of their cage to fly around for kids that earn time with them.

Three Kind Mice

The Cutie Patooties

These friendly female mice are an absolute joy. They play and entertain endlessly, plus they can be held gently, promoting responsibility in kids. They are really great models for self-care, as they clean themselves incessantly and eats healthy food such as carrots and bananas.

Bubbles and Sushi

The Giving Goldfish

These two very playful fish were donated to Artplay after a child went to the State Fair and won them, to the parents chagrin. They have been with Artplay since 2018... and we attribute their longevity to the love of many sensory-seeking kids, who let the fish nibble-kiss on their fingers.