Thursday, November 14th, 2019

2:00 –2:45 PM, Herscher Hall, 2nd Floor, 202

Producing for Film/TV, Branded Entertainment and Influencer Marketing Programming

Betty Gabbaie  CEO & Founder, Let’s Get Disruptive Marketing

Harry Lowell, founder, Nite Lite Pictures

Jill Johnson, General Manager, Tiny Horse

Jeffrey Duque, VP of Studio, H Code Media

Philip Nelson, President, Nelco Media, Producer, “From the Bridge”

Charles Dalaklis, President & CEO, Dalaklis Media Enterprises

Ceslie Armstrong, CEO & executive producer, NYTEX Productions LLC, Moderator

Betty Gabbaie has over 20 years of corporate marketing and communications experience working with Fortune 500 companies using cutting-edge technologies that disrupt industries!  She is the Founder & CEO of Let’s Get Disruptive, a boutique-style digital marketing agency where she applies the same methods for businesses of all sizes. Betty also teaches courses at UCLA Extension on Advanced Digital Marketing, Social Media Strategies and Influencer Marketing.

Harry Lowell, founder, NiteLite Pictures Harry Lowell is the founder and executive producer of NiteLite Pictures.  He is an award-winning television producer whose innovative style and creative energy established his strong reputation for delivering quality projects for some of the biggest networks and advertising clients around.   Lowell began his career as an advertising agency producer working with national, high-profile brands and advertising agencies, winning numerous awards including multiple Clio Awards, Chicago Film Festival Award, New York Fest Award, One Show, London Advertising Award and multiple TOP 10 Super Bowl ads including the #1 Super Bowl spot in 2016. He expanded his television career while working with Disney producing theatrical trailers, television promos, commercials and pilots. Since then he has developed and produced television series, pilots and specials for networks including Discovery Channel, Syfy, History Channel, truTV, ESPN, Oxygen Channel – with an emphasis on strong storytelling and compelling characters. A Chicagoan at heart, Lowell is a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and a hockey fan who resides in Los Angeles, California.

Jeffrey Duque is an expert in launching media brands and content marketing campaigns across various platforms targeting key audiences in all forms, mediums and markets around the world including multicultural markets in the US. He is currently the VP of Studio for H Code Media focused on the Latinx consumer. Jeffrey and his team are 2x 1st place winners of NAMIC’s (National Assoc. of Multi-Ethnicities in Communication) excellence in Multicultural Marketing Awards (EMMA) for their work with California Lottery and Delta Air Lines. He is an expert in strategically marrying branded content development with targeted content amplification.  Most recently much of his attention has turned to driving legitimacy in Social Influencer Data-driven Marketing campaigns with a keen focus on authenticity to drive engagement, reach and overall brand KPIs.

Jill Johnson, General Manager, Tiny Horse: Jill has 20+ years of experience spanning multiple facets of the entertainment and branding space. She was the Head of Digital/Interactive for SYCO Entertainment, run by Simon Cowell and joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment. Jill oversaw digital brand integrations with Verizon, Pepsi, Sony, & Best Buy, and social rollout across The X Factor and America’s Got Talent. Other leadership roles have included being the VP of Business Development for an Omnicom Group agency and Sr. Director for Digital Marketing & Product Development at Sony Music Entertainment.

Philip Nelson, founder, Nelco Media: During his 19 years at NewTek, Philip Nelson oversaw the cultivation of strategic customer relationships across all markets and was the champion for NewTek corporate culture as Chief Relationship Officer. Beginning as a sales rep in 1998, Nelson has been promoted several times; first as central sales manager, then east coast sales manager, director of worldwide sales, vice president of sales and video marketing, SVP of Artist & Media Relations and finally Chief Relationship Officer, where he is a driving force in increasing sales and market share. Nelson has overseen numerous product launches, including  TriCaster™,  VT[4]™ (VideoToaster) and SpeedEDIT™. At NewTek, Nelson has forged successful relationships with the NBA, NFL, Disney, ESPN, Fox Sports, and MTV. Prior to joining NewTek, Nelson was an entrepreneur, focusing in video production, post production and ISP.Clients included Phil Robertson’s Duck Commander, Tim McGraw, San Antonio Spurs, The Smithereens, MTV, Coca-Cola, Cisco, Microsoft and Georgia Pacific. In 2017, Nelson left his role at NewTek to found Nelco Media,Inc. after seeing a need in the market for high level streaming consulting and technology solutions. Nelco Media, Inc will help bring new technology solutions and workflows to broadcast, enterprise, education, house of Worship and federal clients. The tech is just the start to any broadcasting initiative. You need a “wingman” to make sure the project is successful and Nelco Media will have your back from concept to broadcast!

Charles Dalaklis, President & CEO, Dalaklis Media Enterprises: Chuck Dalaklis is an innovative content creator and brand advisor. He and his team of award-winning entertainment specialists, develop cutting-edge, immersive and buzzworthy content that drives audience engagement. For more than two decades, under Chuck’s leadership, DME has developed and produced hundreds of hours of top-tier media content for Fortune 500 companies, advertising agencies, digital distributors and national broadcast and cable networks. In 2011, DME joined Momentum Entertainment Group, an agency within the Interpublic group (NYSE:IPG). Chuck was charged with building an in-house content company to provide creative and production support within IPG’s network of agencies. In 2014, DME was selected as a preferred brand vendor for Momentum/Interpublic where it serviced clients including Verizon, Blackstone/SeaWorld and Pacific Gas and Electric. DME was concurrently a brand/business consultant and content creator for its own roster of clients including Kraft Foods, Anheuser-Busch, Kmart and Sears. Additionally, the DME team created a slate of long and short-form broadcast programming that remains in broadcast, digital, and OTT rotation.

Ceslie Armstrong is the CEO and Executive Producer of NYTEX Productions. Armstrong is a media and entertainment premium content creator, innovator, and strategist specializing in positioning brands and organizations for increased consumer recognition, value, revenue and growth. As executive producer, creative director, interviewer and writer with a strong digital marketing and distribution backbone to drive revenue for publishers, organizations, networks using processes that adapt to changing and emerging technologies to connect to audiences and build strong brand relationships. Armstrong’s strategy of “content drives engagement, decisions and revenue,” along with her deep experience in subscriber-based recurring revenue business models, make her an in-demand consultant and advisor for brands and platforms. Armstrong’s company NYTEX Productions, produces original premium content and experiential events including concerts; fine and performing arts; Grammy award-winning artists; talk and music radio/podcasts; interview format; travel and lifestyle. Company brands include “Grapes, Grains & Grub,” “ACES Apex (Art, Culture, Environment, Sporting),” and more. Armstrong has a long career in hospitality and culinary arts including as an owner, operator, chef and brand strategist and has created culinary content for major platforms. She is a co-director of the inaugural Food Tech + Wellness Forum at Digital Hollywood. As the co-founder of Momentum Women Media & Entertainment for 10 years, Armstrong was the company’s Chief Content Officer producing programming for major platforms and events showcasing and recognizing global women innovators, leaders, celebrities, and authors. She is a recognized influencer in the women’s market and has been engaged as spokesperson for many globally known brands. She is a sought-after speaker at universities, organizations and conferences. Armstrong has been in the music industry producing and packaging artists including Los Lonely Boys, Matisyahu, John Cale, Alejandro Escovedo and more. She has created content with renown photographers including Lynn Goldsmith, Henry Diltz, Francesco Scavullo, Billy Name, Patrick McMullan, Christopher Makos, Mick Rock and many more. She has held the post of editor-in-chief, senior editorial positions and contributed to titles including Grace Woman, Marie Claire, Glamour, Mode, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, and more. She has been featured and quoted in hundreds of publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Financial Times, WWD, Forbes, Fortune, and Entrepreneur. She has appeared as guest, host and correspondent on Good Morning America, CBS Early Show, The View, E!, Access Hollywood, Food Network, Entertainment Tonight, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and many more. She lives in the Hill Country on the Texas Wine Trail near San Antonio and commutes to her second home towns of New York City and Los Angeles where she lived for 20+ years. Upon relocating to Texas she was the keynote speaker at the George Bush Presidential Library; received a Texas Press Association award; a proclamation by the State of Texas for excellence in journalism.