White House Announces Nomination of Charles F. Sams III as National Park Service Director

08/18/2021
Last edited 08/18/2021

Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2021
Contact: Interior_Press@ios.doi.gov

WASHINGTON ⁠— The White House today announced the intent to nominate Charles F. “Chuck” Sams III as Director of the National Park Service. The nomination will now be considered by the U.S. Senate.

“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,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.

Chuck has worked in state and Tribal governments and the non-profit natural resource and conservation management fields for more than 25 years. He currently serves as a Council Member to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, appointed by Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

He 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 roles as the 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, and President/Chief Executive Officer for the Earth Conservation Corps.

Chuck holds a bachelor’s of science degree in Business Administration from Concordia University-Portland and a master’s of legal studies in Indigenous Peoples Law from the University of Oklahoma. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Chuck is an enrolled member, Cayuse and Walla Walla, of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, where he lives with his wife and their four children.

###

  • Press Release
    Secretary Burgum and two park rangers cutting red white and blue ribbon at ribbon cutting ceremony.
    08/04/2026

    Great American Outdoors Act Marks Six Years of Transforming America’s Public Lands

    Six years after President Donald J. Trump signed the Great American Outdoors Act into law, the Department of the Interior continues to deliver historic investments in America's public lands through the law's Legacy Restoration Fund. As the nation commemorates its 250th anniversary throughout 2026, these investments are restoring historic landmarks, modernizing critical infrastructure and enhancing visitor experiences at the places where America's story is preserved and shared. 

    Read more
  • Press Release
    Hikers at Sacramento Recreational River, California
    06/25/2026

    Interior Releases First-Ever Interagency Recreation Visitation Report and Announces Nationwide…

    The Department of the Interior today announced the release of the Interagency Recreation Visitation Data Report, the first unified compilation of recreation visitation estimates across all federal land and water management agencies, as directed by the EXPLORE Act. The landmark report provides a comprehensive, standardized view of how millions of people experience outdoor recreation across hundreds of millions of acres of federally managed public lands and waters.

    Read more

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment