Our Team
Kris Dickinson, M.S., OTR/L Owner, Occupational Therapist
Originally from Wichita, Kris got her bachelor's from KU and her master's in OT from Western Michigan University in 1993. After many years of being away from Kansas, she returned to Wichita and soon after opened TheraPlay Spot in June 2012. When she started TheraPlay Spot as a one-therapist practice with 10 children working in a charming little house, she could have never imagined that TheraPlay Spot would help over 1700 children in 8 years! She still enjoys treating by covering occasionally for other therapists and training new therapists. She is humbled by the responsibility of her evolving leadership role and is grateful for each of the TheraPlayers—both past and present—who have played a critical role in the dynamic growth of the company.
Creating a playful and productive work culture with a close-knit team is her daily passion and goal so that everyone can help children succeed.

Our Physical Therapists

Andrea Veenis
Andrea has been a pediatric PT since 1987 when she graduated from the University of Pittsburgh. She joined TheraPlay Spot in 2015 and has extensive pediatric experience working in acute care, NICU, schools, home visits, and outpatient. When not at work, she enjoys time with her husband, family, and dogs. She also enjoys running, yoga, reading, or volunteering with Family Promise.

Amber Teal
Amber joined our team in September of 2017. She graduated from K-State with her bachelor's and went on to WSU to get her doctorate. Amber has been a PT for the past 7 years and went into this field to give children the tools to become as independent as possible which allows them to be active participants during functional motor and play skills. Some of her hobbies include volunteering and fostering dogs for Beauties and Beasts, spending time with her husband and fur-kids.
Our Office and Admin Staff

Karli Johnson
Karli joined our team in November 2020. She has a background in administrative roles in the skilled home care setting. She quickly adapted to the role of our front office manager and has been a positive support for the TheraPlayers. Outside of TheraPlay, she enjoys spending time with her family traveling, being active, and playing with their Goldendoodle, Champ. You can also catch her mat side or on the sideline cheering on her kiddos.

Renee Blaes
Renee joined us in May 2016. She has joyfully earned her other title of director of first impressions! Prior to joining our team, she was a Special Ed. para and job coach and worked in both elementary and high schools. Her hobbies include cooking, reading, and traveling. When not at TheraPlay Spot, you will likely find her spending time with her 9 grandchildren, family, or her dog and cats!

Christie Crabtree
Christie joined TPS in June 2020 and previously worked with people in addiction. She says she absolutely LOVES every single child she meets at TheraPlay Spot. "They put a huge smile on my face and any child that I can help get services or to even put a smile on their face it is so fulfilling!" She is a wife and a mother of 4 children. When she's not at work, she loves spending time with her children and family, going to church, fishing, and being outdoors with her doggies.

Mindi Engel
Mindi started as a WSU intern at TheraPlay Spot in June 2020 and we liked her so much that we offered her a full-time position in the office in September 2020. She has worked as a childcare provider, pharmacy technician, nanny, and in the frame shop at Hobby Lobby. She loves working with children, reading books, and snuggling with cats. She enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing games together, and sharing life. She will graduate in Dec. 2020 with her bachelor's degree in exercise science from WSU and is looking forward to graduate school in the future (hopefully in 2021) to become a pediatric occupational therapist.

Beth Liddy
Beth joined the TheraPlayer team in January 2021 as our medical billing and accounts specialist. She has many years of related billing experience in the counseling world and now joins the pediatric therapy world. She is able to navigate the complex and, at times frustrating, world of billing insurance and fighting denials. As an advocate for our children, she will help parents maximize their insurance benefits. She loves spending quality time with her family and grandchildren. She also enjoys reading, taking walks, and caring for her 3 fur babies.

Becky Deschene
Becky started very part-time, when we were much smaller, in November 2015 helping us stay clean and organized. Over the past 5 years, her hours have doubled and she notices how much we have grown by the ever-increasing need to order toilet paper! Ask any member of the TheraPlayer team, and they will tell you that Becky has the most generous and kind heart, and it's a common occurrence for her to leave thoughtful and unexpected surprises for people. She is appreciated beyond measure. Her job is unfortunately one that goes unnoticed if it's done well, and very much noticed during the rare times she has had to miss a time or two. This means that she does her job quite well, especially with all of the extra pandemic sanitizing she does!

David Dickinson
Since we moved into the large clinic in November 2015, David has spent most days around the clinic in his overalls while making dramatic changes and improvements to the building. He has had various roles, including interim office manager, HR manager, and bookkeeper. He brings to the table years of expertise from being both a small business owner and an efficiency expert in the engineering world. He continues to wear many hats, including maintenance guy, computer repairman, IT dude, construction worker, electrician, carpenter, painter, plumber, carpet cleaner, dog walker, equipment purchaser, leaf blower, snow shoveler, landlord to the Office Spots tenants, and confidant (and loving husband) to the owner.

Heidi
Heidi is a mini Australian shepherd and joined the TheraPlayer team when she was a wee pup in April 2016. She enjoys greeting the children, chasing balls and lasers, following people around when they have food, and stealing food out of the trash. You may have heard her full name: "Heidi Get-Out-of-the-Trash!"
