An up-and-coming big data startup called Umbel appointed a top-notch expert on media relations to serve as its new Director of Agency Solutions, a title that covers a variety of duties.

Umbel works with publishers that want to tap into the social media audiences that are exposed to their content. The creative, small team uses market research and large scale analytics to identify consumer behavior trends, reactions and other insightful metrics.

Amy Bickers is the latest team member, an industry veteran now in charge of handling the way media buyers and sellers will communicate with each other via Umbel’s platform.  She will also have a hand in implementing changes capable of enhancing this capacity.

Previously Bickers worked at  Publicis’ Starcom in a position not unlike  her current one – she was in charge of administrating  the multi-million media plans of Fortune 100 client companies.

“I am thrilled to have Amy on our team. She is one of the most well-respected minds in digital advertising and brings valuable industry expertise at a time when Umbel is growing aggressively. Her passion to evolve and advance the media buying process while leveling the playing field between buyers and sellers makes her a perfect fit at Umbel. There is no substitute for her practical experience with the processes, systems and brands that stand to benefit from Umbel’s solutions,” said Paul Krasinski, CEO of Umbel.

Last month Umbel raised $3.6 million in funding from a couple of entrepreneurs, and appointed a new CEO, Paul Krasinsk. Austin Ventures partner Thomas Ball and Seth Goldstein, a former Internet committee head for the Internet Advertising Bureau, joined the company’s board.

Another company that had a recent analytics-related update is Jive, which now also helps clients to identify user behaviors. The difference is that the social enterprise software maker’s target audience is the employee base.