Restoring Rest: Sleep Health for American Indian and Alaska Native Adolescents | April 8, 2026
Date of Presentation: April 8, 2026
Type: Past Presentation
Audience: Clinical
Program: Adolescent Health
Keywords: #academic #adolescent #counseling #family strengths #health #mental health #Screening #sleep
In this presentation, Drs. Angelino and Spatafore explore sleep health among American Indian and Alaska Native adolescents, including the prevalence, contributing factors, and its connection to mental health, academic performance, and substance use. They also discuss culturally responsive approaches to screening and counseling, along with community and family strengths that support healthy sleep in Indigenous youth.
Recording:
Presented by:
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.
Leah Spatafore, MD
Faculty, Lead Faculty
Dr. Leah Spatafore (she/they) is a board-certified Pediatrician and Faculty Mentor for the Adolescent Health ECHO, where she supports practical, evidence-informed approaches to strengthening adolescent clinical care across Indian Health Service, Tribal 638, and Urban Indian Health Programs (I/T/U).
Leah earned their medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport and completed pediatric residency training through the Johns Hopkins Harriet Lane Pediatric Residency Program. Dr. Spatafore currently serves as a Pediatrician with the Indian Health Service in Shiprock, New Mexico, providing care in school-based health settings and outpatient general pediatrics.
Leah is also a Bloomberg American Health Initiative Fellow and is pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health with a focus in Adolescent Health.
Their clinical and public health interests include community engagement and partnerships, adolescent and young adult empowerment, adolescent mental health, and expanding access to sexual health education and contraception.
Resources Provided:
- Evaluation and to Claim CE (Available following the session)
- Restoring Rest: Sleep Health for American Indian and Alaska Native Adolescents (Presentation Slides)
- Policy Overview: Sleep Health in AI/AN Adolescents
- Sleep Health Indigenous Adolescents Clinical Sheet
Date added: April 7, 2026



















































































