REAL Engagement AI Team
REAL Engagement AI brings together expertise across psychology, media, AI systems, governance, and licensing to advance a humanistic standard for emotional intelligence.
Renée Bunnell, PhD
Founder & Framework Creator
Dr. Renée Bunnell is the founder of REAL Engagement AI, one of several companies incubated by Real.org, and creator of the REAL humanistic
emotion framework.
Her work bridges clinical psychology, character science, media systems, and artificial intelligence. Dr. Bunnell has spent decades researching how meaning, character strengths, and emotional signals
influence trust, decision‑making, and long‑term engagement.
Her research has been published with collaborators from Columbia University and in the Journal of Marketing Research. Through REAL
Engagement AI she has translated this research into a measurable framework that helps organizations design emotionally intelligent
technologies.
Howard Appelbaum
Strategy, Media & Technology Partnerships
Howard Appelbaum is a veteran media executive known for transforming major media brands and building global entertainment businesses.
He previously served as President of Billboard and President of Entertainment at Nielsen, where he helped expand Nielsen's global data
and analytics business across music, sports, gaming, books, and entertainment measurement.
Howard brings decades of leadership in media, audience analytics, and technology partnerships to REAL Engagement AI.
Paul Lupi
Business Development, Partnerships & Production
Paul Lupi is a partner with Dr. Renée Bunnell and others at Real.org, where he contributes to business development and partnerships across the organization’s incubated projects.
His background includes work as an international minerals trader, as well as experience in shipping, global logistics, and international film development.
Paul is also a Producer for REAL | Tech & Film, supporting the
development of projects that connect storytelling, technology, and the REAL humanistic emotion framework.
Mike Drath
Operations & Finance
Mike leads operations and finance for REAL Engagement AI.
He has extensive experience building and scaling digital media businesses, including leadership roles during the growth of Pluto TV, leading up to its acquisition by Viacom (now Paramount Global).
At REAL Engagement AI he oversees operational structure, financial planning, and organizational development.
Dr. Amber Horan
Media Psychologist
Dr. Amber Horan is a Media Psychologist at REAL Engagement AI.
She holds both a Master’s and Doctorate in Media Psychology from
Fielding Graduate University and previously worked as a media analyst at Ad Fontes Media, where she evaluated media credibility and audience perception.
Her work focuses on how audiences emotionally experience media, technology, and AI systems.
REAL’s patent family is developed and reviewed with experienced intellectual property counsel.
REAL Engagement AI works with senior leaders and forward-looking teams to embed humanistic, character-based metrics into AI and LLM platforms, media and advertising systems, companion robotics, organizational intelligence, clinical and therapeutic technologies, and autonomous agents — improving decision quality, alignment, trust, and durable business outcomes at scale.