This news story about Native American Sams’ nomination as National Park Service director was adapted from a Department of the Interior press release. You can read the original press release here.
On August 18, the White House announced the intent to nominate Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III, a Native American, as the 19th Director of the National Park Service. The nomination will now go to the U.S. Senate for consideration and confirmation.
If the U.S. Senate does confirm Sams as the new National Park Service director, he’d be the first person permanently in that position since the end of the Obama administration.
The last permanent NPS director was Jonathan Jarvis, who served until January 3, 2017.
Since then, for four whole years during the Trump administration, there was no Senate-confirmed director of the National Park Service. Instead, no fewer than four people served in the role in an acting capacity.
Native American Nominated as National Park Service Director
If confirmed by the Senate, “Chuck” Sams would be the very first Native American to serve as the head of the National Park Service. He’ll work under Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who is also Native American.
“The diverse experience that Chuck brings to the National Park Service will be an incredible asset as we work to conserve and protect our national parks to make them more accessible for everyone. I look forward to working with him to welcome Americans from every corner of our country into our national park system. The outdoors are for everyone, and we have an obligation to protect them for generations to come.”
Deb Haaland, Interior Secretary
Sams is an enrolled member, Cayuse and Walla Walla, of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeastern Oregon and southeastern Washington. He lives on the reservation with his wife and their four children.
Decades of Experience in Conservation, Land Management and Government
In the past 25 years, Chuck has worked in both state and Tribal governments, as well as in non-profit natural resource and conservation management.
He is currently a Council Member to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, a position to which Oregon Governor Kate Brown appointed him.
Sams has held a variety of roles with the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, most recently as their Executive Director.
He has also had the following roles, which showcase his immense experience and wide-ranging expertise:
- President/Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Country Conservancy
- Executive Director for the Umatilla Tribal Community Foundation
- National Director of the Tribal & Native Lands Program for the Trust for Public Land
- Executive Director for the Columbia Slough Watershed Council
- Executive Director for the Community Energy Project
- President/Chief Executive Officer for the Earth Conservation Corps.
Sams holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Concordia University-Portland and a Master of Legal Studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
“Throughout his career, Sams has formed powerful relationships across Tribal Nations, all levels of government and the conservation community, navigating difficult issues in an inclusive and caring way. As a descendent of the original guardians of our lands, Sams brings a unique and powerful perspective that can help our national parks continue to evolve in the places and stories they preserve and share.”
Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for the National Parks Conservation Association