Sean Bruna

Dr. Sean Bruna is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Western Washington University, specializing in medical anthropology, US health policy, and chronic disease prevention. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of New Mexico and has taught over 150 courses in anthropology and health-related fields. His research focuses on minority health disparities, particularly among Indigenous and border communities, and has been funded by organizations like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Dr. Bruna has advised nearly 40 graduate students and co-authored studies on topics such as HIV risk in transgender communities, intergenerational trauma in Indigenous populations, and adaptive sports accessibility. He is currently on leave but remains active in community-based participatory research initiatives.

Education: Ph.D. (2013), M.A. (2005) in Anthropology from the University of New Mexico; M.A. (2003) in Social Science (Federal Indian Law) and B.A. (1999) in Anthropology & Latin American Studies from the University of Chicago.

Key Research Themes: Medical anthropology, health policy, disability studies, and participatory research methodologies.