Amber, who grew up in Alamogordo, NM, moved to Las Cruces ten years ago to begin her collegiate journey. Amber attended New Mexico State University where she obtained her bachelor’s degree in social work. Immediately following undergraduate school, Amber returned to her hometown where she accepted the honor of providing end of life care to her maternal grandparents. During this time Amber discovered her love and admiration for the powerful impact wrap around services can have on an individual as she was able to see it unfold firsthand with her grandfather who was paraplegic. When Amber returned to NMSU in 2022 to obtain her Master of Social Work degree she knew she wanted to incorporate this newfound admiration into her lifelong career. Amber found a home with The Play Lab, here she is surrounded by opportunities to learn and incorporate her love of healing through the mind-body connection. Amber works with children ages 0-18 and their families, using a trauma focused and attachment centered approach, to assist with a variety of areas of difficulty including anxiety, depression, behavioral issues, PTSD, etc. Amber is a certified Circles of Security – Parenting facilitator and she is looking to expand her professional qualifications to include becoming certified in CPP, EMDR, and receiving her Infant Mental Health endorsement. Outside of working hours, Amber loves to spend time with her two dogs, care for her variety of plants, and spend time with her friends and family. Amber has developed a newfound love of board games (thanks to TPL) and has been working on curating her own collection of fun games to share and connect with her loved ones. Amber looks forward to football Sundays and traveling when she can. Amber believes strongly in the power of connection and the healing possibilities it holds. She looks forward to being a kind, gentle, and secure source of support to the children and families of our community. Amber feels that every person has the potential to be all that they wish to be in this world, we just need to find the helping hands that will aid in lighting our path to get there.
Anthony Esquibel is a Licensed Professional Clinical Mental Health Counselor in the state of New Mexico. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in psychology and his master’s degree in counseling and educational psychology from New Mexico State University. He has dedicated the past 12 years to working with youth and families in the Las Cruces area. This work includes providing behavior management services, supporting the group home, supervision of a treatment foster care program, in-home services with CYFD, and outpatient therapy. He enjoys working with school-age children and their families with an emphasis on at-risk adolescent males. He is knowledgeable with many childhood disorders including anxiety, depression, and trauma. He enjoys poetry, doing his podcast and time with his son outside of work.
Leanna Galardo, M.S. CCC-SLP Hey everybody!! My name is Leanna Gallardo, and I am an ASHA and New Mexico licensed Speech-Language Pathologist. I earned my Bachelors of Science in Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University and my Masters of Science in Communicative Disorders with Emphasis in Speech-Language Pathology at Eastern New Mexico University in 2022. I have worked with a wide range of clients, from pediatrics to geriatrics, but my passion has always been working with children. I have experience in the areas of apraxia of speech, Autism spectrum disorders, speech and language disorders, fluency, traumatic brain injury, aphasia, voice disorders, Down Syndrome, phonological disorders, behavioral difficulties, AAC, medically fragile children, cleft lip and cleft palate, dysphagia, and feeding. I enjoy being able to build relationships with my clients and their families to support them in achieving their goals. To be able to give back to a community that I have grown up in is such a rewarding feeling. I love helping children find their voice. I look forward to connecting with more families and making a difference one child at a time.
Nicole graduated from Western New Mexico University earning her associate’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2016. She has experience and knowledge in early intervention services, skilled nursing facilities, and inpatient rehabilitation. Nicole is passionate about providing family centered services to encourage maximal growth of each child and to foster empowerment of families. She feels incredibly blessed to be working as an occupational therapy assistant to help children and families reach their individual goals. Nicole is a local of Las Cruces, NM. She is a wife and mother, and is always on the go as her family would say. She enjoys spending time with family, camping, fishing, sports, and volunteering in children’s ministry for her church.
Robin was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM. She graduated from New Mexico State University in 2020, with her Bachelors in Psychology and a Minor in Art. Later, she moved to Albuquerque and attended the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program at the University of New Mexico and graduated in 2022. She completed her Level II Fieldwork rotation at Rio Rancho Public Schools which kindled her love for working in pediatrics. Occupational Therapy has been a passion for her, and she knew from a young age that she wanted to work within this career field. Robin found that this career explores creativity and science, both of which are another passion of hers. Additionally, she relishes the diversity of patients and she highly enjoys the challenge of helping each patient improve their abilities and reach their fullest potential. In her free time she works with her deaf Australian Shepherd named Nymeria in agility. You can also frequently find her working with some medium to create artwork, out hiking, traveling, reading, or spending time with friends and family.
Cynthia grew up in Hatch N.M. and attended Pima Medical institute in El Paso, TX where she earned her associate’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She is passionate about working with children and making a positive impact in their lives. She believes in the power that OT provides to help children develop the skills they need to succeed in daily activities and enhance their overall well-being. Her experience includes working in Special Education classrooms, where she honed her skills in helping children achieve their fullest potential. Even before completing her degree, she knew her calling was to work with children, and her Level II Fieldwork rotation at The Play Lab solidified that desire. She is committed to providing compassionate care and fostering an environment where children can thrive. She believes to be very fortunate to return to the incredible Play Lab team full-time and continue to grow in her profession. In addition to her professional work, she enjoys spending time with her family on their chile farm in Hatch, reading, visiting farmers markets, traveling, and going on nature walks.
My name is Alondra India Villa. I am a dedicated and compassionate healthcare professional with an associate’s degree in occupational therapy and Kinesiology. I am driven by a deep commitment to my family and community, I enjoy being actively involved in events and initiatives that bring people together. I am especially passionate about my career in occupational therapy, and I am continuously seeking opportunities to grow within the field and make a lasting impact in the lives of others. Outside of my professional life, I enjoy exploring creative ideas through DIY projects and baking. I am a Disney movie enthusiast, and a collector of Stitch-themed items. In my downtime, I also enjoy watching "novelas" and spending quality time with loved ones. I am looking forward to working with little ones, families, and The Play Lab Family.
