Resources

Past Presentation

Menstrual Health in Adolescents: A Clinical and Cultural Approach Utilizing Traditional Healing & Medicine | May 13, 2026

Date of Presentation: May 13, 2026

Type: Past Presentation  

Audience: Clinical  

Program: Adolescent Health  

Keywords: #adolescent  #amenorrhea  #menstrual health  #pcos  #pediatrics  #traditional healing  #uterine bleeding  

In this presentation, Drs. Angelino and Kelliher identify common causes of abnormal uterine bleeding in adolescents, including primary and secondary amenorrhea. They also review a structured approach to the evaluation and workup of menstrual disorders, including bleeding disorders, discuss how to recognize polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) presentation and disparities in AI/AN adolescents, and examine culturally grounded approaches to menstrual health management, including integrating traditional healing practices alongside Western medicine. 

Presented by:

Allison Kelliher
MD

Allison Kelliher, MD, is Koyukon Athabascan, Dena, from Nome, Alaska.  She is the first and only physician trained as a Traditional Healer in a Tribal Health setting and weaves this into her practice as a Family and Integrative Physician. She is a Research Associate  at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health Center for Indigenous Health where she enjoys working with learners.  She is the founder and former director of the American Indian Collaborative Research Network (AICoRN), a Practice-Based Research Network at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences where she is also Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Indigenous Health.  She is also adjunct faculty at the University of Washington School of Medicine and the University of Alaska Anchorage and serves on the Board of Directors for the Association of American Indian Physicians.  She has a background in biomedical research and neuroscience, with special interests in behavioral health and health equity as well as curriculum development and integration of Global Healing Traditions into practice and education.  She is working toward decolonizing and indigenizing curriculum at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and Bloomberg School of Public Health where she continues in advocacy for environmental justice with the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and other organizations.  She was honored as the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alumnus of the year 2022 and recently published a chapter in a textbook Walking Together, Working Together Engaging Wisdom for Indigenous Well-Being.

Alessandra Angelino, MD, MPH, FAAP
Alessandra Angelino, MD, MPH, FAAP
Faculty, Lead Faculty

Dr. Alessandra Angelino (she/her) is a board-certified pediatrician with fellowship training in adolescent medicine. She serves as Medical Director for the Adolescent Health ECHO, where she supports clinician education and capacity-building to improve adolescent and pediatric care across diverse settings. 

She earned her degree in International Health from Georgetown University, her MD from Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and an MPH in Global Health from the University of Washington. Dr. Angelino completed her pediatrics residency at the University of North Carolina and an Adolescent Medicine fellowship at Johns Hopkins University. She currently works with the Indian Health Service as a physician contractor and is a lead clinical consultant with the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board. 

Dr. Angelino’s clinical and research interests focus on adolescent mental health, cultural connection, affirming care, and care for youth with chronic and complex conditions, including Long COVID, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and orthostatic intolerance (including POTS). She is engaged in community-based participatory research and national advocacy to improve access, visibility, and outcomes for Indigenous adolescents and young adults.

Resources Provided:

Date added: March 31, 2026