Sometimes a Great Podcast

Season 2, Episode 29 — Oct. 14, 2026 Length: 23:44 This week, The Big Picture hops into the wayback machine to bring you an interview we did a year ago. It’s story focused on National Disability Employment Awareness Month, where we sat down with Diane Navarrete, an ODHS communications officer whose story is also featured in the October 8 ODHS Facebook post. Diane lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth dis...

Season 2, Episode 28 — Oct. 12, 2026 Length: 9:57 This week’s episode goes prospecting through Discover for updates on annual required trainings, public charge resources, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2027 health plan recordings, employee store passes, Pride ERG’s Queer Identity Series and advisory seats supporting LGBTQIA2S+ older adults. With no new 4Minutes4U this week, the episode begins...

Season 2, Episode 27 — Oct. 5, 2026 Length: 34:50 This week’s episode of The Big Picture comes from District 2 and features a conversation about refugee support, Child Welfare, Self-Sufficiency and the ODHS Transformation. Bethany talks with Khazrat Nieman, a Human Services Manager who works with Refugee Services and SSP, and Child Protective Services supervisors Rebecca Lusk and Tara Bridges. The...

Season 2, Episode 26 — Oct. 5, 2026 Length: 9:54 This week’s episode rakes through a full pile of fall updates, including hazard forecasting, Pride’s National Coming Out Day gathering, Explore Health Oregon, safety and well-being forums, federal change resources, Microsoft 365 updates, in-person new employee orientation and the end of SNAP-Ed. With no new 4Minutes4U this week, the episode begins i...

Season 2, Episode 25: Sep. 30, 2026 Length: 26:30 This week we’re back in Washington County where we’re talking Transformation and diapers, We again join Sean Sturr, District 16 business expert, and Nancy Byce, District 16 supervisor. And in the middle, we’ll hear once again from Maya Cipriano, Child Welfare resource developer, and Ana Hernandez-Garcia, engagement manager.  It’s the day before one...

Season 2, Episode 23 — Sept. 28, 2026 Length: 9:21 This week’s episode welcomes fall with updates on eligibility leadership, Orange Shirt Day, Mi Gente’s Latin heritage celebration, the Gallup survey, responsible AI, community inclusion, online benefit options, Workday changes and the Heart of Oregon Charitable Fund Drive. The episode begins with Director Wendt’s message about Nate Singer’s move t...

Season 2, Episode 23: Sept. 23, 2026 Length: 28:47 This week, The Big Picture returns to Washington County, where we sit down with Sean Sturr, District 16 business expert, and Nancy Byce, District 16 supervisor, to talk about the operational work that shapes the experience of staff and the people ODHS serves. The conversation looks at facilities, volunteers, donations, personnel support, contracts...

Season 2, Episode 22 — Sept. 21, 2026 Length: 9:47 This week’s episode pulls the Mystery Machine up to ODHS for updates on immigration-related staff guidance, ReportConnect office hours, 2027 health plan options, Oregon Health Plan notices, Latin American independence celebrations and OEP records retention. The episode begins with Director Liesl Wendt’s follow-up to front desk employees and others...

Season 2, Episode 21: Sept. 16, 2026 Length: 18:47 This week, The Big Picture comes from Hillsboro, where we sit down outside with Maya Cipriano, Child Welfare resource developer for Washington County, and Ana Hernandez-Garcia, engagement manager in District 16, to talk about collaboration, community partners and the practical supports that help families move forward. The conversation begins with...

Season 2, Episode 20 — Sept. 14, 2026 Length: 9:59 This week’s episode heads into open water with updates on the 2027–29 agency request budget, suicide prevention walks, the Veterans ERG, the Employee Engagement Survey, OHP notices, Child Welfare resource families and Medford service locations. 4Minutes4U: * 2027–29 agency request budget Deadline: ODHS: * Beginning Sept. 12: Out of the Darkness su...

Season 2, Episode 19: Sep. 9, 2026 Length: 22:27 This week, The Big Picture comes from Portland, where we sit down with Nicomi Levine, ICWA permanency supervisor in District 2, and Angela Mellison, family coach for the ICWA team, to talk about tribal relationships, collaboration and what it means to support families with respect. The conversation begins with ICWA — the Indian Child Welfare Act — a...

Season 2, Episode 18: Sept. 8, 2026 Length: 9:51 This week’s episode remembers Dolly Parton’s legacy of storytelling, care and connection while covering the biennium budget, crisis support, community resource events, the Employee Engagement Survey, SNAP exemptions, inclusive books, and workplace updates. The episode begins with Director Liesl Wendt’s message about the 2027–29 agency request budget...

Season 2, Episode 17: Sept. 2, 2026 Length: 8:05 This week, The Big Picture looks across Oregon at ODHS staff, Employee Resource Groups and community partners who build connection by showing up where people already are — in offices, libraries, parades, festivals, food markets, parks and back-to-school events. These stories begin with small things that mean something larger: culturally specific hai...

Season 2, Episode 16: Aug. 31, 2026 Length: 9:53 This week’s episode climbs into the Discover DeLorean for updates on public charge and temporary protected status, election season rules, Tribal ICWA Conference volunteers and a major I-5 closure through Portland. With no new 4Minutes4U and nothing new in Deadline: ODHS this week, the episode begins with reminders about substance use awareness train...

NOTE: This episode AUDIO ONLY Season 2, Episode 15: August 26, 2026 Length: 30:11 This week, The Big Picture returns to the Dallas ODHS office for the second half of our conversation about what collaboration looks like when it moves from concept into daily practice. We continue with staff from Self-Sufficiency and Child Welfare. From Self-Sufficiency, Lisa Heath joins as operations manager, along...

Season 2, Episode 12: Aug. 24, 2026Length: 8:35 This week’s episode gets things started with grant request training, substance use awareness, disability employment, SNAP changes, queer identity learning and host homes supporting youth experiencing homelessness. With no new 4Minutes4U this week, the episode begins in Deadline: ODHS with Grant Request Training, a Canopy webinar on substance use awar...

Season 2, Episode 13: August 19, 2026 Length: 27:18 This week, The Big Picture comes from the Dallas ODHS office for the first half of a two-part conversation about collaboration, transformation, and what it looks like when Self-Sufficiency Programs and Child Welfare work together around the same families. We sit down with staff from both programs. From Self-Sufficiency, Lisa Heath joins as operat...

We Celebrate 100 Episodes! (And other ODHS News) Season 2, Episode 12 — Aug. 17, 2026 Length: 9:11 This week’s episode celebrates 100 trips through the OWL - starting with no new 4Minutes4U or Fact of the Week this week. So, the episode actually begins in Deadline: ODHS with the Veteran Employee Resource Group’s Women Veterans subgroup relaunch and ReportConnect office hours. From there, Dateline...

Season 2, Episode 11: Aug. 12, 2026 Length: 26:25 This week, The Big Picture returns to Medford for the second half of our conversation at the Collaborative with Emily Blessie, community outreach manager with ODHS Self-Sufficiency, and Lisa Robbins and Jill Shermett, peer support specialists with the Pathfinder Network. Each of them explaining further how ODHS staff and community partners are reth...

Season 2, Episode 10 — Aug. 10, 2026 Length: 9:57 This week’s episode celebrates all things podcast, with mentoring, free food markets, sleep support, ableism, TANF information and privacy, summer photos and resiliency skills all taking their turn at the microphone. 4Minutes4U: Nothing this week Deadline: ODHS: Aug. 11: ODHS ERG Mentoring Program orientation Aug. 11: Hillsboro Free Food Market Aug...

Season 2, Episode 09: Aug. 5, 2026 Length: 24:30 This week, The Big Picture comes from The Collaborative in Medford, where ODHS staff work alongside the Pathfinder Network and parole and probation to support women who are returning to the community after incarceration.  In a conversation with Emily Blessie, community outreach manager with ODHS Self-Sufficiency, and Lisa Robbins and Jill Shermett,...

Season 2, Episode 08: Aug. 3, 2026 Length: 9:59 This week’s episode goes full gadget mode, with plain language, Medicaid work requirements, scam awareness and contract administration standards all tucked into the trench coat of useful ODHS updates. We begin with Deadline: ODHS with a plain language lunch and learn, plus reminders about Canopy’s sleep and stress training and ABLEnet’s session on ab...

Season 1, Episode 97 — July 29, 2026 Length: 29:04 This week, The Big Picture does something a little different as Bethany and Shenika recap the inaugural Beaver-Duck Innovation Classic, where ODHS staff presented ideas for improving the way the agency works. The conversation looks at seven presentations grouped around three larger themes: better information sharing,deeper understanding of public-...

Season 2, Episode 6 — July 27, 2026 Length: 9:59 This week’s episode heads to Survivor ODHS, where the buffs are color-coded, the deadlines are specific and every update is trying to make it through tribal council with its paperwork intact. With no new 4Minutes4U this week, the episode begins in Deadline: ODHS with updates on the federal public charge rule, the final ADA anniversary webinar, Inclu...

Season 1, Episode 94 — July 20, 2026 Length: 9:40 This week’s episode heads out onto the prairie with updates on STEP, support for immigrant and refugee staff and communities, writing style guide changes and expanded direct care through Klamath Tribal Health and Family Services. With no new 4Minutes4U this week, the episode begins in Deadline: ODHS with reminders about the ADA anniversary webinar...