Brian F. Spatola is the collections manager for the anatomical collections of the museum. He is a skeletal biologist and forensic anthropologist with extensive experience in collections management, human identification, and medical examiner operations.
He previously served as the morgue supervisor and anthropologist for the State of Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Central Region in Richmond, Va., and for the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the District of Columbia. He is also a research collaborator with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s (NMNH) Physical Anthropology Department, where he is working to solve collections management issues with the G.S. Huntington skeletal collection.
In 2005, he conducted recovery efforts in the Orleans and St. Bernard Parishes of Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina. Prior affiliations include positions with the Collections Support Services Unit at the NMNH, the Louisiana Division of Archaeology, and the Louisiana State University (LSU) Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services Lab.
He holds an master's degree in anthropology from LSU and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of North Texas. He is a member of the Region 3 Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team. Brian currently lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Jei.