Program Staff

Program Director: Debra Rose, PhD

Debbie Rose, Professor in the Department of Kinesiology at California State University, Fullerton, Director of the Center for Successful Aging and Co-Director of the Fall Prevention Center of Excellence. She teaches and conducts research in the area of motor control and learning, and balance and mobility disorders, in particular. Dr. Rose is nationally and internationally recognized for her work in the area of fall risk reduction programming and has served as a research consultant to a number of different organizations and companies over the course of the previous 10 years. Her research in the area of fall risk reduction in the elderly has been published innumerous peer-reviewed publications. Her work in this area is also well supported by a number of research grants (exceeding $1.5 million). The innovative fall risk reduction program she developed was recently recognized by the National Council on Aging as one of seven programs nationwide that promotes a healthy, active lifestyle. She is a fellow of the Research Consortium of AAPHERD and past Executive Board Member of the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity.

Sue Grant

Sue Grant, certified FallProof™ Master Instructor, is also certified by American Council on Exercise and the Arthritis Foundation. She holds a Professional Certificate in Fitness Instruction and Exercise Science from UC San Diego, specializing in both Personal and Group Fitness Instruction. She is also a fellow of the Gary Gray “Gift” Institute. 

Sue is happy to be the supervisor of the Older Adult Fitness Program at the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA in Encinitas, California, where she teaches a FallProof class from October – June. To contact her at the YMCA, you may call (760) 942-9622 ext. 1571, or you can email her at   sgrant@ymca.org.

Cathy Harbidge

Cathy Harbidge is a Registered Physical Therapist who received her degree from the University of Alberta. Cathy has been working within the field of senior’s health for the past 20 years, initially in an acute care setting, and for the last 10 years with the Calgary Fall Prevention Clinic, in Calgary Alberta, Canada. Cathy became a certified FallProof™ Balance and Mobility Specialist in January 2008, and a certified Master Instructor in 2011. She teaches FallProof™ classes, and provides vestibular rehabilitation for clients at the clinic. Cathy can be reached at   cathy.harbidge@albertahealthservices.ca.

Danielle Hernandez, M.S.

Danielle Hernandez is a Master FallProof™ Instructor and a certified personal trainer with a strong desire to enhance the quality of life in her older adult clients through fitness and wellness.  She graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and then in 2007 she completed her Master of Science in Gerokinesiology from the same university.  As a student, she worked in the Center for Successful Aging as a graduate assistant in the FallProof™ Balance and Mobility program.  Danielle is currently working in Corona Del Mar, CA at Oasis Senior Center as a Personal Trainer and FallProof™ Instructor.  To contact her at Oasis please call (949) 718-1818, or you can email her at   hernandez.danielle.m@gmail.com.