{"podcast":{"title":"City of Ames’ Podcasts","slug":"city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270","podcast_index_feed_id":7161270,"rss_url":"https://feed.podbean.com/amesinfocus/feed.xml","website_url":"https://amesinfocus.podbean.com","image_url":"https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/20040164/City_of_Ames_Podcasts_1a80wq.jpg","author":"City of Ames, Iowa","episode_count":100,"summary":"The City of Ames Podcast Network is a collection of shows designed to help residents better understand, connect with, and participate in life in Ames. Rather than following a single format, the network brings together a variety of conversations that blend civic information, behind-the-scenes insight, community education, and personality-driven storytelling. Each podcast takes a more approachable, conversational tone, going beyond basic announcements to explore why topics matter, who is involved, and how they impact everyday life in the community. Get more information about things happening in Ames at www.CityofAmes.org","last_synced_at":"2026-06-10T00:18:30.545441+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270"},"episode":{"title":"Live Well, Be Well: Benefits 101 with Krista Hammer","slug":"live-well-be-well-benefits-101-with-krista-hammer","published_at":"2026-04-15T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270/live-well-be-well-benefits-101-with-krista-hammer","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270","url":"https://amesinfocus.podbean.com/e/live-well-be-well-benefits-101-with-krista-hammer/","audio_url":"https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/psnysk37uwh5e4fc/LWBW_Episode_4_-_Benefits_101_17m35s_an3lp.mp3","summary":"Employee benefits can sometimes feel complicated or easy to overlook, but they play an important role in overall well being. In this episode of Live Well. Be Well., hosts Kacie Schumann and Bailey Dingfield are joined by Krista Hammer, HR Officer for the City of Ames, to talk about understanding and making the most of employee benefits. Episode Highlights Krista’s Path into Human ResourcesKrista shares how she began her career in HR and what led her to work with employee benefits at the City of Ames. Managing Benefits for City EmployeesA look at how benefits programs are managed and how HR supports employees in understanding their options. Navigating Your BenefitsTips for employees on how to better understand and use the benefits available to them. Lesser Known BenefitsA discussion about benefits that employees sometimes overlook but could be taking advantage of. Common MisconceptionsThe hosts talk about misunderstandings people often have about employee benefits and how to approach them with better information. Benefits and Well BeingHow employee benefits contribute to overall health, stability, and well being for employees and their families. Have a question, topic idea, or someone you would like to hear on the podcast?Send suggestions to Kacie.Schumann@CityofAmes.org.","meta_description":"Employee benefits can sometimes feel complicated or easy to overlook, but they play an important role in overall well being. In this episode of Live Well.…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":1055,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270/episodes/live-well-be-well-benefits-101-with-krista-hammer/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/city-of-ames-podcasts-7161270/live-well-be-well-benefits-101-with-krista-hammer.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}