Courtney Callidora Manthey
Biocultural Medical Anthropologist
Hello.
I'm Court, a biocultural medical anthropologist whose research explores how culture, health, and inequality intersect across diverse contexts. My work focuses on reproductive health, Indigenous data sovereignty, and embodied practices such as Sāmoan tattooing (tatau). Through collaborative, community-based research, I examine how social, spiritual, and structural factors shape health outcomes, with a special interest in empowering underserved communities in the Pacific and the American West.
Professional Philosophy
I view anthropology as a practice of translation—connecting lived experience, cultural theory, and public health. My research and teaching emphasize the social, spiritual, and biological dimensions of health, using community-based methods to highlight how inequality and resilience take shape in the body. I am committed to collaborative partnerships, inclusive pedagogy, and applied scholarship that directly benefits underserved and Indigenous communities.
Service and community engagement are central to my work as an anthropologist. I currently serve as Student Chair of the Human Biology Association (HBA) Executive Committee, Junior Service Fellow for the HBA, and Student Representative for the American Anthropological Association, where I advocate for student mentorship, inclusivity, and applied research training across institutions.
Beyond academia, I am a Certified Patient Family Partner with the Preeclampsia Foundation, using lived experience to inform clinical education and improve maternal health equity. I also serve on advisory boards for women’s health organizations and partner with clinics across Colorado to advance culturally informed care for underrepresented and LGBTQIA+ communities.
As a co-host of the Sausage of Science podcast and an editor for RISE Magazine (Colorado Public Health Association), I’m dedicated to translating anthropological research into accessible public conversations. Through these roles, I strive to connect academic scholarship with lived experience, empowering communities and future scholars to see anthropology as a force for social change.
Service
Office Address
SS234 Social Science Building
The University of Montana
Missoula, Montana