Meet The Board

 

President

 

Maribel Corona M.Ed., LPC-S, RPTS-S

Maribel is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor in private practice. She co-owns Professional Counseling Services, PLLC located in Edinburg, TX. She has served as a President-Elect
Board Member for the past four years. Maribel uses Play Therapy with clients of all ages. She is trained in the use of Humanistic Sand-Tray Therapy under Dr. Steven Armstrong. Maribel has a Business degree from UT-San Antonio and after a career in management entered the Education field in 2000. Maribel taught 2nd grade for five years and in 2003 she earned a Master’s Degree in Guidance and Counseling from UT Pan American and was a High School Counselor for three years. Maribel has presented for the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, Teaching and Mentoring Communities, the RGV Counseling Association, and the RGVC of TAPT.

 

 

Past President

 

Esmeralda Meave, M.Ed., NCC, LPC-S

Esmeralda is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in private practice. She owns Sky’s the Limit Counseling Center located in Elsa, Texas. She has been a Board Member for the RGVC of TAPT for the past five years and an APT organization member. She is obtaining her Registered Play Therapist under the supervision of Mayela Ortez, LPC-S, RPT-S. Esmeralda has been a secondary education teacher, school counselor, and special education counselor. She also has worked as a therapist at Tropical Texas Behavioral Health and a teacher at Renaissance Behavioral Center. Esmeralda also continues to have contracts to do on-site therapy at Donna ISD, Weslaco ISD, PSJA ISD, and Hidalgo County Head Start. She utilizes play therapy strategies with young children, adolescents, and adults.

 

President Elect

 

Santa Elisa Peña, M. Ed., LPC-S

Santa is currently the Director of Counseling at South Texas College. Santa values community engagement; she has served as a past board member of the City of Roma Housing Authority, Valley AIDS Council, Child Protective Services Community Review Team and currently chairs the Rio Grande Valley Council-UNIDAD Coalition. Santa is an active member of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault and the National Behavioral Intervention Team Association. Santa earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a Secondary School Certification and a Master of Education in Counseling & Guidance from the University of Texas Pan American. Santa is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor and a Certified Anger Resolution Therapist. Santa is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Professional Counseling Services, PLLC.

 

 

Chapter Director

 

Sandra Fierro, MS.,LPC, NCC, LCDC-I

Sandra Fierro is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is practicing in the state of Texas. Her current line of work is working with children and families victims of sexual and physical abuse and neglect. Sandra considers her approach eclectic in nature, but also uses Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral therapy with her current population. Sandra is a doctoral student in the Counseling Education and Supervision program at Argosy University, Sarasota Florida. Sandra also owns Wellspring Branch Counseling and Consulting Services. Sandra has served as a Chapter Director for RGVC of TAPT for three years. She is pursuing a Registered Play Therapist Certification. When not working, Sandra enjoys kayaking, playing the piano, painting or working with stain glass.

 

 

Treasurer

Mayela Ortez M.Ed., LPC-S, RPT-S

Mayela has been a Registered Play Therapist since 2005. She is also an LPC and RPT Supervisor since 2012. She co-owns Ortez & Guajardo Counseling Center, PA in Pharr, TX and has been in private practice forthe past 10 years. Mayela has been a member of the APT Organization, for many years and has been the Treasurer for the RGVC of TAPT for 8 years. She has volunteered her time for conference events and co-presented on several workshops in Play Therapy. Mayela utilizes Play Therapy with children of all ages in her private practice and works with families to resolve conflicts and emotional issues.

 

 

 

 

Secretary

Janie Ramirez M.Ed., LPC, RPT

Janie is a Registered Play Therapist in private practice at Diaz-Garcia Counseling Services in Edinburg, TX.
Janie has been using Play Therapy for over five years. She attended a specialized training in Play Therapy the North Texas University in Denton, TX.
Janie began using Play Therapy skills as a school counselor and continues using them with clients as young as two year old to adolescence. Janie has been a member of the RGVC of TAPT for over nine years. We welcome Janie to our Board.

 

 

Past Board

​Board Members



President

Esmeralda Meave, LPC.

 

President Elect

Maribel Corona, LPC.

 

 

Chapter Director

Sandra Fierro, LPC.

 

Treasurer

Mayela Ortez, LPC.

 

Secretary

Lisa Gomez, LMSW.