Vanessa Katz
Founder & director
Vanessa Katz is an artist, educator, and the founder of Greenleaf Mindful Montessori Preschool and Greenleaf Art Studio. A Montessori child turned Montessori teacher, she blends decades of classroom experience with mindfulness and process-based art practices to create environments where curiosity, focus, and self-direction can flourish. With over thirty years of experience teaching art, Vanessa is also a working painter whose studio practice explores cultural identity, the magic of everyday moments, and the emotional language of color. This work deeply informs how she prepares creative spaces, favoring observation over instruction and process over product, and inviting both children and adults to slow down and trust their inner voice. ​ Vanessa divides her time between Los Angeles and South Florida, where she recently opened Greenleaf Art Studio, continuing her lifelong work of building spaces rooted in wonder, presence, and creative freedom.
Mary B. Reinfeld
Music Teacher
Eva Bibas
Art Teacher
Eva is a multidisciplinary artist with over thirteen years of experience. Born in Venezuela, she moved to Miami at the age of nine, where she attended top magnet art programs before graduating from Tufts University. In 2021, her work was featured in a Tufts Now profile, and her art has been shown in juried exhibitions at institutions including the DalÃ, Pérez, and Rubell Museums, as well as in private collections. ​ Working across painting, sculpture, installation, and mixed media, Eva is drawn to art as both a practice and a shared experience. Through art-making, mindfulness, and creative workshops, she creates spaces that invite curiosity, presence, and a touch of magic—while quietly exploring deeper layers of meaning through the creative process.
Mary B. Reinfeld has dedicated her life to education in its many forms, from artistic expression to teaching within schools and communities. In 2015, she was conferred a special degree from Corllins University as a Doctor of Arts in Education and Development.​Mary continues to work deeply in her purpose: guiding children and providing them with tools to discover and develop their natural intelligence of mind and heart, and their innate wisdom. This philosophy is reflected in her educational book, Foot Steps to Wisdom. She has also authored several other books, created a children’s film titled The Green Road, and composed its original musical tracks, which received an award from the Dove Foundation.​Today, Mary offers lessons in piano, singing, movement, and writing, and delivers educational lectures for parents and teachers. Her work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to learning, creativity, and human development.​“I keep on learning every day. It does not stop. As I learn, I teach. It has always been my passion.”