Chuck Sams Joins St. Anthony Hospital Foundation Board of Directors

AUGUST 17, 2026 - PENDLETON OREGON - St. Anthony Hospital is pleased to announce that Chuck Sams, a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, has joined the St. Anthony Hospital Foundation Board of Directors. “We are extremely excited to welcome Mr. Sams to our Board of Directors,” stated Emily Smith - St. Anthony Hospital Foundation Director. “Mr. Sams’ level of experience, commitment to the wellbeing of our communities, and dedication to our mission make him an outstanding asset to our Foundation.”  Mr. Sams joins eight other local board members who meet regularly to provide strategic direction and fundraising support to St. Anthony Hospital Foundation. "I believe rural hospitals are integral to the health and welfare of communities," said Chuck Sams. "St. Anthony Hospital Foundation raises funds to support and build a healthy and happy community in Eastern Oregon."  Mr. Sams serves as Oregon's Council Member on the NW Power and Conservation Council, is a Senior Fellow with the Native Environmental Sovereignty Project at the University of Oregon’s Environmental and Natural Resources Law Center, and the Director of Indigenous Programs at Yale’s Center for Environmental Justice and lectures at Yale’s Environmental School. Mr. Sams also serves on several other non-profit boards. Previously, he was the 19th director of the National Park Service within the U.S. Department of the Interior.

About St. Anthony Hospital Foundation: St. Anthony Hospital Foundation serves to build lifelong relationships with community members and to raise funds for the preservation and expansion of health care services at St. Anthony Hospital. St. Anthony is a nonprofit, faith-based hospital founded by the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia. For more than  120 years, St. Anthony has remained dedicated to delivering high quality, compassionate care to Pendleton and nearby communities. St. Anthony is part of CommonSpirit, one of the nation’s largest health systems, dedicated to advancing health for all people.  To learn more, visit sahpendleton.org/foundation