Sweet Humans: Building a Better Future for Independent Creators
Sweet Humans, a new production company founded by Danny De Lillo, will be announcing the plans to build production studio in Downtown Los Angeles, details of its slate and partners and how it will build an eco-system of independent creative development in California.
The conversation is what becomes possible when creative vision, industry partnerships, financial wellness, and education come together to shape the future of independent entertainment.
Join Danny De Lillo, Founder of Sweet Humans, alongside an inspiring group of collaborators and partners for a conversation about building a more connected, inclusive, and sustainable future for the entertainment industry.
Bringing together complementary perspectives from production, strategic partnerships, financial wellness, and education, this panel will explore how collaboration can help independent filmmakers bring stories to life, strengthen the creative workforce, expand access to resources and opportunities, and contribute to California’s thriving creative economy.
Through Sweet Humans and the collective expertise, this conversation celebrates the power of working together to create meaningful opportunities for storytellers, creative professionals, and communities. It is an invitation to imagine what the industry can achieve when we build not only better projects, but stronger relationships and a more supportive ecosystem for everyone.
Moderator:
Danny De Lillo, President & Founder, Sweet Humans
Speakers:
Nikole Dalton, COO, Nor-Cal Financial Development Corporation
Meyoung Spektor, Senior Director, Growth & Partnerships, First Entertainment Credit Union
Erin Kaufman Gabrieloff, Entertainment Studies, Portfolio Director, UCLA Extension
Presented by Sweet Humans, EFI, First Entertainment Credit Union
Speakers
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Danny De LilloPresident & Founder, Sweet HumansPresident & Founder, Sweet Humans Danny De Lillo is an entertainment executive, creative producer, and industry advocate with more than 25 years of experience across film, television, media, creative development, marketing, and industry partnerships. He is the President & Founder of Sweet Humans, a creative-impact production company connecting storytelling, production, strategic partnerships, and social impact to help bring compelling stories to life while building a more inclusive, collaborative, and sustainable entertainment industry. Throughout his career, Danny has held senior international media and marketing roles, including Head of The Americas atScreen International and leadership in North American development and marketing. His experience spans creative development, awards campaigns, film festival programming, talent and industry engagement, and building relationships across the global entertainment landscape. Danny has also served as Board Chair of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles, championing emerging filmmakers, underrepresented storytellers, and greater access to the industry. His commitment to creating safer, more equitable working environments is informed by his own experiences as a queer survivor and his advocacy for a more compassionate entertainment community. Founded on the belief that the industry can achieve more when it works together, Sweet Humans brings creative vision and meaningful partnerships into a shared production ecosystem. Danny’s mission is to help build a future where exceptional storytelling, sustainable creative careers, and positive industry change can thrive together.
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Erin Kaufman GabrieloffEntertainment Studies, Portfolio Director, UCLA ExtensionErin Kaufman Gabrieloff serves as the Director of Entertainment Studies at UCLA Extension, where she oversees curriculum development and strategic direction for film, television, music, and entertainment business programs. She manages certificates and specializations, working closely with instructors and industry professionals to ensure relevant, high-impact, evolving learning experiences for students.
Erin has been with UCLA Extension for over a decade and produces the UCLA Extension Film Festival, which has grown into a signature institutional event and is celebrating its 11-year anniversary May 5-8, 2027. The festival showcases student and alumni filmmakers and highlights UCLA Extension’s commitment to independent filmmaking and storytelling in Los Angeles. The multi-day event features industry panels and networking events at UCLA Downtown and culminates in a celebration and screening at the historic Los Angeles Theatre.
Before joining UCLA Extension, Erin worked at The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts, the largest performing arts training center in Washington, DC, where she directed the Acting Camp for Kids and oversaw administration for the adult acting program.
Erin holds a degree in Theatre Performance from American University and has studied at the British American Drama Academy, BGB Studio, and UCLA Extension.
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Meyoung SpektorSenior Director, Growth & Partnerships, First Entertainment Credit UnionMeyoung Spektor has spent more than two decades building relationships across financial services, real estate, and entertainment. As Senior Director of Growth & Partnerships at First Entertainment Credit Union, Meyoung leads growth, partnerships, and real estate, focused on serving the creative community. Her experience spans mortgage banking and leadership roles at Union Bank and U.S. Bank, bringing deep financial expertise to creative careers that rarely follow a traditional path. With an MBA and firsthand perspective as a SAG-AFTRA member, Meyoung understands how creators live, work, and earn. Her passion is connecting people and opportunities to build trust, expand access, and create lasting impact.
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Nikole DaltonCOO, Nor-Cal Financial Development CorporationNikole Dalton is a finance and economic development executive, entrepreneur, and strategist whose career has centered on strengthening small businesses, improving financial systems, and expanding access to capital.
With more than two decades of experience in financial management and business operations, she brings a perspective shaped by working both inside small businesses and within the financial and economic-development institutions designed to support them.
Dalton serves as Chief Operating Officer of Nor-Cal Financial Development Corporation, where she provides leadership across financial operations, audit oversight, organizational systems, lender relationships, and strategic initiatives. Since joining Nor-Cal in 2017, she has expanded her work beyond financial management to include new approaches to capital access, particularly for industries and entrepreneurs that have historically struggled to navigate traditional financing systems.
Her current work includes developing industry-specific capital-access pathways that connect California business owners with lenders, technical assistance, and government-supported financing programs. These pathways span the creative economy and construction sectors, where she is helping build the financial infrastructure needed to translate available capital into meaningful access.
Dalton is also the founder of the Entertainment Finance Initiative (EFI), an independent initiative she created to bridge the gap between the creative economy and traditional financial institutions. Through EFI, she works to improve capital readiness among creative businesses while increasing lenders’ understanding of entertainment business models, revenue structures, and financing opportunities.
Her financial career began more than 20 years ago in small-business environments, progressing from administrative and audit support into bookkeeping, financial management, and ultimately executive.
