Following a unanimous vote by the U.S. Senate, Charles "Chuck" F. Sams III has been appointed to lead the National Park Service. The first Native American to hold the position, Sams is Cayuse and Walla Walla and a tribal member of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.
The National Park Service manages preservation programs to document historic places, develop standards and guidelines, and provide financial and technical assistance to preserve our shared heritage. As the State Historic Preservation Office, RIHPHC partners with the National Park Service on preservation programs in the state.