Brain Fitness
Fall 2025
Fall 2025
Topics 1
Time: Tuesday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Professor: Minoo Pakgohar (Zoom)
Topics 2
Time: Wednesday, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Professor: Minoo Pakgohar (Zoom)
Topics 3
Time: Monday, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Professor: Erika Peralta (Zoom)
Topics 4
Time: Friday, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Professor: Erika Peralta (Zoom)
Topics 5
Time: Wednesday, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Professor: Charisse Winston (Zoom)
Topics 6
Time: Thursday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Professor: Charisse Winston (Zoom)
Topics 7
Time: Thursday, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Professor: Sharon Gregory (Zoom)
✍️ Specialized Classes
🍀 Alzheimer’s Awareness & Support
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease: Insights and Strategies
Time: Tuesday, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Professor: Minoo Pakgohar (You’ll need to register separately to receive the Zoom link and join the session)
Diverse & Holistic Brain Health: Diverse Approaches to Brain Health
Time: Tuesday, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Professor: Mindy Jo Sloan (Zoom)
📘 Brain Fitness Basics
Brain Fitness Basics 1
Time: Tuesday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Professor: Yael Lorberfeld (Zoom)
Brain Fitness Basics 2
Time: Thursday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Professor: Yael Lorberfeld (Zoom)
✍️ Specialized Classes
Hands-On & Memoir Class: Cognitive Wellness Through Hands-On Exercises & Living Stories
Time: Monday, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Professor: Yael Lorberfeld (Zoom)
📧 Questions? Contact Dr. Minoo Pakgohar at mpakgohar@sdccd.edu
Join us for a free online series designed to support memory, brain health, and mental wellness—at any age. Hosted by the Brain Fitness Team at San Diego College of Continuing Education, these monthly sessions feature expert guest speakers sharing practical, science-based strategies.
📅 Wednesdays — Oct 8, Nov 5, Dec 3, Jan 7
🕐 1:00 – 2:30 PM PT
📍 Online via Zoom
💲 Free | Open to All | RSVP Required
Brain Myths & Alzheimer’s: Fact vs. Fiction — October 8, 2025
Director of Education, Alzheimer’s Association San Diego
Mirror Movement & Brain Fitness in Alzheimer’s Prevention — November 5, 2025
Mirror Movement Specialist & Author
Staying Sharp Through the Holidays — December 3, 2025
Behavioral Health Specialist, San Diego County
New Year, Stronger Brain — January 7, 2026
Registered Dietitians, Dairy Council of California
Brain Fitness Online is a class which focuses on brain health, by education as well as learning tools which may enhance cognitive functioning as we age. This class combines a brain healthy curriculum with practice using a brain training tool, BrainHQ. There are several features of this class:
Weekly email: Each week, you receive a weekly email which details what will be discussed during the week.
License to an online brain training program: All registered students in Basics or returning students in Topics receive a semester license for the scientifically designed and peer reviewed brain training program, Brain HQ. (NOTE: Students must take Basics in order to have a license to BrainHQ. )
Weekly Zoom class to touch bases with classmates and expand on that week's topic. In addition, there will be three in-person sessions for Topics (see below) as well as one in-person session a month for Basics.
Most weeks, a self-graded quiz.
Recordings of lessons each week posted to the website.
A unique lesson each week which features topics related to brain health and wellbeing.
Classes offered through Brain Fitness:
Brain Fitness Basics: The first step to Brain Fitness. Includes setting up a license for BrainHQ, an online brain training program.
Brain Fitness Topics: Students continuing from Basics may take any of the topics classes to continue with their BrainHQ license.
Traditional Brain Fitness Topics class: Most instructors share a lesson each week. Content is found on one page (Topics page).
Active Brain Lab: Hands on strategies to stay sharp with lessons designed around active learning and focusing on hands on exercises targeting cognitive skills.
Lifestyle and a Healthy Brain: Designed for those who want to enhance their cognitive wellness through everyday choices. Focuses on the tried and true changes towards a healthier life and brain.
Diverse approaches to Brain Health: A dynamic learning community open to all adults seeking greater joy and fulfillment in their lives. Topics will include brain health from a diverse perspective.
A "Sharper Brain": A short term class (8 weeks) including hands on training with BrainHQ and concepts about healthy lifestyle choices. Class meets from April 7 to June 1.
Headspace is a mobile app designed to promote mental health through meditation and mindfulness. It includes features like guided meditations, sleep aids (sleep sounds and calming music), mental health coaching and mindful movement. You can learn more about Headspace here. Although it is a subscription app that you normally pay for, SDCCD has partnered with Headspace to provide free access to all faculty and students. For best results, download the Headspace app on either Apple App store or the Google Play store.
To activate your Headspace subscription, please follow these steps:
1. Visit https://work.headspace.com/sandiegocollegeofcontinuingeducation/member-enroll
2. When prompted, choose “No, I do not have an account” if you are new to Headspace or “Yes, I have an account” if you have an existing Headspace account.
3. If you answer no, please go ahead and sign up for a new account.
If the answer is yes, log in to your existing account.
4. Enter your eligible "student.sdccd.edu" email - you will then receive a link to activate the subscription
5. Click the “Verify” button in the activation email to activate your new membership
Please note: If you are unable to enroll using the steps above, please clear the cache by following the steps HERE
If you have created a guest account, activated a paid subscription or a free trial, please have them reach out to our support team at teamsupport@headspace.com. They will be able to fix any issues with their accounts, help with the activation process, and answer any questions regarding our content.
Brain Fitness is organized as a team. Team members all teach classes, using the same lessons, with a few exceptions as noted above. Each team member is unique in the way they teach, how they teach, and/or in the additional responsibilities they carry.
Desirée Harguess
There are multiple Zoom sessions for Brain Fitness students. You are welcome to attend any of these sessions for your class (basics or topics). If you like, attend more than one to hear a different perspective on that week's lesson.
To find more, and to see the Zoom link for your class, visit our Zoom page on this site, The Zoom Classroom
The Basics class introduces you to the online brain training website, BrainHQ. This program has been used in multiple studies and has found to have a positive effect on cognition including improvements in brain speed, recognition and memory. While we cannot predict your personal improvement, we can say that it has helped many students, and is what keeps them coming back time and again.
Watch this short video tutorial on how to log in to your BrainHQ account and get access to the exercises (2 minutes).
Use the BrainHQ site to learn more about this activity and how it can affect your brain.
We have a website just for Emeritus students. You can access it by going to (sdcestudent55.com). On this site, you will find:
Information for Fall 2025: Complete schedule, registration tutorials, details, etc.
Student Guides (Guide to understanding online instruction, Guide to using Zoom, Guide to find your class on the sdcce.edu website)
Student resources (Job opportunities, list of resources from SDCCE available to students, classes from previous semesters)
View the video to learn more about the student site.
Minoo Pakgohar: Team leader, Topics, Alzheimer's Science (mpakgohar@sdccd.edu)
I have a PhD in Gerontology with over 15 years of higher education teaching and developing curriculum. I got my equivalency as master’s degree in midwifery and Ph.D. in gerontology in USA. I have a strong passion to work with older adults, and I love teaching. So, I did switch from midwifery to gerontology at one point in my career. Currently I teach a very diverse older population as an older adult instructor at College of the Canyons.
I volunteered as a case manager in long term care setting for three years while I was assistant professor at university. As a part of civic engagement activity, I volunteer to present in retirement communities.
My husband and I have one 29 years old daughter, and I enjoy baking, gardening, and volunteering in my community.
Yael Lorberfeld: Basics and Brain HQ Lab (ylorberfeld@sdccd.edu)
Yael Lorberfeld has been teaching Brain Fitness since 2019. She is now the coordinator for Brain Fitness Basics Class. She holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology by the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. She has been working since 1997 in Mental health as a Psychotherapist, School Psychologist and teaching topics related to Mental Health and Wellbeing, in Spanish and in English. She has a certificate on Family Leadership Coaching by The San Diego University for Integrative Studies. She is the cofounder of a nonprofit organization and an active volunteer in her community, working as an educator for children to develop social responsibility.
Erika Peralta: Topics, Websites, Brain HQ administration (eperalta@sdccd.edu)
Erika Peralta is a passionate advocate for public health, with a master’s degree in public health (NU) and a bachelor’s degree (UCSD) in public health. Her commitment to health education is underscored by her certification as a Health Education Specialist, reflecting her dedication to promoting wellness and preventing diseases.
Erika's professional journey is fueled by a profound interest in intergenerational work and infectious diseases within the realm of public health. She believes in the power of bridging generational gaps to create sustainable health solutions that resonate with diverse communities.
As a first-generation college graduate, Erika brings a unique perspective to her work, prioritizing the needs of underrepresented communities. Her mission is rooted in fostering inclusivity and dismantling health disparities. Erika's approach is characterized by a genuine care for the well-being of diverse populations, recognizing the importance of tailored interventions to address the unique challenges they face. She highly cares for people, being social, and loves teaching with empathy.
Join her in the pursuit of well-being, as she continues to champion intergenerational collaboration and tackle infectious diseases head-on. Together, let's build a healthier world, one community at a time.
Anjali Patel: Topics (apatel@sdccd.edu )
Anjali Patel is a Registered Dietitian (RD) specializing in public health, research and community nutrition. Born and raised in Ottawa, Canada, and after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences, Anjali moved to a small town in Kumamoto, Japan where she taught English and spent her free time on grassroots internationalization projects centered on food and culture. It was during this work her passion for community nutrition was born. She returned to school to pursue her RD and Master of Public Health, and on the side worked in nutrition research, nutrition communications and public health programs and strategy. In 2011, Anjali moved to the United States and worked with the restaurant industry on environmental change and consumer behavior change research funded by the Center for Disease Control and the National Institute of Health. Anjali is a food and nutrition educator who hopes to inspire and support individuals and communities with knowledge, tips and tools in healthy cooking and eating behaviors for their overall wellbeing. She believes that food holds much more power than nourishment to the body — it’s identity, belonging and what connects us. Anjali enjoys skiing, swimming and traveling. When she is not working, you can find her with her family somewhere around the world trying different foods or in her kitchen playing with food.
Sharon Gregory: Topics (sgregory001@sdccd.edu)
Sharon Gregory is active in the Health and Fitness Community. She has a bachelors in Food and Nutrition from San Diego State University and is CPR certified. She has 15 years of experience working for SDCCD Emeritus Program. Sharon has taught Body Dynamics, Health Education and nutrition cooking classes at a variety of off campus locations.
At an early age, Sharon became a caregiver for her grandparents. During this time, she discovered the passion she had for helping older adults. She became very interested in keeping her grandparents active with physical exercise and brain stimulation. Now Sharon shares that information with her current students discussing fall prevention, healthy bones, better balance, and overall nutrition for optimal health!
Sharon has volunteered for over 8 years providing support in the community in a variety of outreach programs. She is a volunteer for CERT (Certified Emergency Response Team) in Poway. She is actively helping with emergency preparedness, drive-thru-food distribution events, vaccination efforts, and assisting with picking up groceries and medication for those who can't go out.
Sharon and her husband have 3 grown children that are also into exercising and staying fit. Her hobbies include traveling, gardening, hiking, biking, working out at the gym, and spending time with her family, friends and her dog Cabo.
Charisse Winston: Topics (cwinston@sdccd.edu)
Dr. Charisse Winston is a translational neuroscientist focused on developing biofluid-based extracellular vesicles (EVs) as biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD). She earned her Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Georgetown University after receiving a B.S. from the University of Virginia and an M.S. from Georgetown, both in Biochemistry. For the past decade, she has been a dedicated educator in the San Diego community college system and is an active volunteer with the Alzheimer's Association and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Mindy Sloan: Diverse approach to brain health (msloan@sdccd.edu)
Mindy's career focus has been on using education to make the world a better place. She has served learners of diversity as a school psychologist for PK-12 school districts and the California Youth Authority, and as a faculty member and administrator at institutions of higher education. As a faculty member and administrator, Mindy pioneered several strategies to effectively engage at-risk learners, established an online Library, Writing Center, and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, provided 24/7 learning supports that increased students success, created predictive models to diagnose and prescribe specific interventions that improved student learning, and was elected as a faculty senator and faculty body President. Her graduate degrees are in Educational & Counseling Psychology, and she has been licensed as a school psychologist, clinical psychologist, school administrator, and special educator. Dr. Sloan's first career was as a greeting card illustrator and writer. She is a minister of metaphysical sciences. Last and most importantly, Mindy is a mother of four amazing adults and Nene to a grandson and granddaughter.
Desirée Harguess: (dharguess@sdccd.edu)
Early in my higher education journey, I had training in anthropology, sociology, and psychology. While earning my Master's degree, I taught Fitness/Wellness classes at the University of Texas and also managed an oral history project for the 1968 U.S. Olympic Team. After moving to San Diego, I earned my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. My clinical education included training in geriatrics, neuroscience, neuroanatomy, and neuromuscular rehabilitation. I've been working as a licensed physical therapist in San Diego since 2017, and mostly work with older adults. In Spring 2025, I began teaching Health Education for Older Adults in the Emeritus program. Now I'm excited to bring my experience to the Brain Fitness Program!