Brain Fitness Online
Spring 2023
Welcome to Brain Fitness Online, Spring 2023
Quick Links for Brain Fitness Online
Welcome video from Debbie Flores
Learn more about our program in this short video. Click here or on the image to view the video (opens in another window).
A site JUST for Emeritus Students
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 Spring 2023: Complete Emeritus schedule, registration tutorials, details on some classes, flyers and much more.
Student Guides (Guide to understanding online instruction, Guide to using Zoom, Guide to find your class on the sdce.edu website)
Student resources (Job opportunities, list of resources from SDCCE available to students, classes from previous semesters)
Welcome to Brain Fitness Online
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. There are two levels of Brain Fitness: Basics (for first time participants) and Topics (students who have already begun their program). This website has several sections, which can be accessed by the tabs on the website. However, below, you will find direct links to each of these sections. We look forward to working with you.
View the interactive syllabus, designed by Debbie Flores. Very concise way to understand your class.
About the class
Brain Fitness Online is a class which 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 receive a semester license for the scientifically designed and peer reviewed brain training program, Brain HQ.
Weekly Zoom class to touch bases with classmates and expand on that week's topic.
Most weeks, a self-graded quiz
There are 2 choices of curriculum:
BF Basics This is a general curriculum for 1st time students. It provides the background information necessary to understand the components of brain health and to begin to learn more about healthy brains.
BF Topics: Each semester, we look at an assortment of topics related to brain health. Some have been discussed before, and some are brand new.
Brain HQ website
Brain Connection on PositScience
PositScience has a feature called Brain Connection. It may be useful if you want to shake up your Brain training routine with brain teasers and more.
You can access it by going to: https://brainconnection.brainhq.com/
Video
Watch this short video tutorial on how to log in to your BrainHQ account and get access to the exercises (2 minutes).
Weekly Zoom Sessions
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
Syllabi: Official syllabus

View the syllabus as its own website. See all course information at a glance. Visit the site by clicking here.
about us and contact information
Debbie Flores :Topics
dsflores@sdccd.edu
Debbie Emery-Flores graduated from San Diego State University (SDSU) with a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and a Certificate in Rehabilitation Technology, and is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Debbie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Gerontology from SDSU, and an Associate of Arts degree in Psychology from Southwestern College. She has been working for the San Diego Community College District since 2013, serving as a vocational counselor with the WorkAbility III program, with Disability Support Programs and Services (DSPS), and with the San Diego Continuing Education Access Technology office. In the Emeritus program,Debbie currently teaches Brain Fitness and Alzheimer's: The Science of Prevention. A native of San Diego, Debbie loves traveling, reading, being in nature, playing the piano and organ, volunteering, working with older adults, and spending time with her husband, Juan.
Mary Burns: Topics
mburns@sdccd.edu
Mary Burns has been an instructor with San Diego Continuing Education (SDCE) since 1987. She holds a Master’s degree in Exercise Science and a Master’s degree in Educational Technology. She has been teaching online since 2007, and was one of the original online instructors at SDCE. She has developed curriculum for multiple subjects, including Health, Communicating with Technology and Brain Fitness. She has created websites using a variety of platforms (Blackboard, Moodle, Canvas and Google Sites). She enjoys learning and teaching about technology, and provides classes for older adults in the community. Besides teaching, she is the technology Assistant Program Chair at SDCE, focusing on meeting the technology needs of faculty, and the training and support of online instructors. Besides technology, she enjoys running, working in the yard, walking the dog and spending time with her husband, Kim.
Mindy Sloan: Basics & the Glen
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.
Bridget Wright: Topics
bwright001@sdccd.edu
Bridget Wright, MPH, has a Master’s Degree of Public Health and a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences. She also holds professional certifications in Health Coaching, Nutrition, and Exercise. Bridget has worked for many local community organizations, including hospitals, universities, and corporations. While working as the director of a research project at San Diego State University studying the effects of providing Medicare beneficiaries with preventive health services, Bridget became passionate about helping older adults maintain their health as they age. Bridget has also served on the Speaker’s Bureau for the American Cancer Society, the Alzheimer’s Association, and the American Heart and Stroke Association. For the past five years, she has been an Instructor with SDCCE, teaching Nutrition and Healthy Living Courses. She and her husband have two grown daughters, and in her spare time she enjoys reading, hiking, and volunteering in her community.
Yael Lorberfeld: Basics
ylorberfeld@sdccd.edu
Yael Lorberfeld has been teaching Brain Fitness since 2019. 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. She loves to teach and to study. She enjoys to read, to hear music and travel.
Minoo Pakgohar: Topics
mpakgohar@sdccd.edu
Dr. Minoo Pakgohar holds a PhD in Gerontology with over 15 years of higher education teaching and developing curriculum. She also received her equivalency as master’s degree in midwifery and Ph.D. in gerontology in USA. She has a strong passion to work with older adults, and loves teaching, which explains the switch from midwifery to gerontology. She also teaches a very diverse older population as an older adult instructor at College of the Canyons. She has volunteered as a case manager in long term care setting for three years while serving as an assistant professor at university. As a part of civic engagement activity, she volunteers to present in retirement communities. She and her husband have one 29 year old daughter. She enjoys baking, gardening, and volunteering in the community.
Anjali Patel: Basics
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.