Don Sampson

Executive Director, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation

Pendleton, OR

Don Sampson, 46, lives in Pendleton.  He is the Executive Director of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation located in northeastern Oregon, a position he has held since June of 2003. The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is the government of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla Tribes— a confederation formed by treaty in 1855.  Don’s hobbies include snowboarding, gardening, playing basketball, and practicing martial arts. 

Don had bisphenol A levels that were higher than 90% of people that have been tested in national biomonitoring studies.  He also had the highest total PFCs as compared to the other participants.  Don had the second lowest total phthalate level and no organophosphate pesticides were detected in his body.

Chemical Class		Commonly Found in		Potential Effects on Health		Found in Participant?
Phthalates		Personal care products, certain plastic toys and food containers, medical devices, and vinyl (PVC) products such as flooring, shower curtains, and wall covering		Effects on reproductive development, including feminization of male genital and early puberty onset in girls
Mercury		Heavy metal which enters the environment through multiple exposure routes—including coal-fired power plants, cement manufacturing plants, abandoned mines and consumer products		Harms nervous system development and can harm organs
PFCs (Perfluorinated chemicals)		Group of chemicals used as surfactants and stain protectors. The two PFCs most commonly found in the environment are known as PFOS and PFOA. They have been in use since the 1950s, and build up and persist in the environment and in animals		Cancer and organ damage
Pesticides		Insecticides are commonly used in agriculture and to a lesser extent in urban areas		Toxic effects may include nervous system harm, cancer, and hormone disruption
Bisphenol A		Reusable plastic water bottles and baby bottles, the linings in metal food cans and dental sealants		BPA has been linked to reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and obesity. Recent scientific studies have shown that even low-dose exposure can have negative health impacts
PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls)		Manufacture of PCBs ended in 1977, after extensive production for use as coolants and lubricants in electrical equipment		PCBs bioaccumulate and persist in the food chain and in our bodies, and have been linked to cancer, effects on the immune and reproductive systems, and effects on nervous system development