About the New York Handmade Collective
The NY Handmade Collective, is a 501(c)6 nonprofit made up of a vibrant group of artisans who live and/or work in and around New York City.
We are committed to sharing our knowledge, skills, and creations with the community in an effort to foster a greater appreciation of the aesthetic, environmental, and economic importance of handmade products.
We are dedicated to developing the potential of our members through mentorship, education, in-person selling opportunities, and small business development workshops.
Meet the Board of the NY Handmade Collective:
Coleen Phoenixx
President & Operations Director
Coleen joined NYHC in 2016 and was elected to the board in February 2021. She's a neurodivergent skincare Sorceress, who spends her days formulating sensory friendly skincare for Rising Phoenixx.
Rachel Soares
Membership Director
Rachel Soares joined NYHC in 2015, and was elected to the Board in March 2022. Her favorite creative outlet is hand-stamping quirky keychains for her shop, Ye Old Stamping Grounds. She previously worked for 8 years researching diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.
Deidra McNish-Brown
Recording Secretary
Deidra joined the NYHC in 2023 and became Recording Secretary in November 2025. She is a Registered Nurse and the owner of D's Delights based in Brooklyn, NY. Utilizing African recycled glass and semiprecious gemstone beads, she designs and makes unique jewelry that is designed to honor the complexities that make us the unique individuals we are.
HanaKyle Moranz
Partnership Director
HanaKyle joined NYHC in early 2024 while seeking a community of creators to connect with upon her return to ceramics after a long hiatus. As a massage therapist for over 18 years, she uses her extraordinary sense of touch to finesse each piece she creates to be satisfying to the eyes and hands. Her work is primarily thrown on the pottery wheel, entirely produced in Brooklyn, NY, and is intended to contain what you find precious and mundane every day.
Kim Suttell
Financial Secretary
Kim is a retired bureaucrat who cannot get away from paperwork. A quilter from a young age, she gravitated toward paper collage as an artistic medium and enjoys making art from what gets thrown away. She joined the Collective in 2023 seeking both the cooperative aspect of artists/makers helping each other and the practical support and guidance offered. Still a lover of a good spreadsheet, she is pleased to step up as financial secretary.
Lina Del Plato
Advisory Director
Lina joined the NYHC in February 2020 and became our Marketing Director in April 2024. She is the owner of Lina Del Plato Designs, where she designs customized baby, bridal, and adoption gifts, as well as apparel, totes, and aprons. When she is not designing, she is an attorney for children in New York Family Court, representing mostly children in foster care. Most of her inspiration comes from her daughter, who encouraged her to start her business and her blog.