Deborah Feairheller (“Dr. F”) has worked in the clinical health and wellness field for over 30 years and has a passionate interest in cardiovascular disease risk. Dr. Feairheller is a Fellow and Professional Member of the American Heart Association, a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, member of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Association, the National Fire Protection Association, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American Society for Nutrition. She maintains her certifications as a phlebotomist for her clinical research and as a weightlifting coach through USA Weightlifting. 

Dr. F joined the Department of Kinesiology in Fall 2022, moving to Southern California from the University of New Hampshire where she worked as a clinical faculty with responsibility as the Director of the Clinical Cardiac Program (Rehabilitation, Prevention, & Telehealth). In that position she worked to improve the heart health of cardiac patients and community members who have modifiable risk factors through both in person and telehealth remote wellness modules. 

Dr. Feairheller directs the Hypertension and Endothelial function with Aerobic and Resistance Training (HEART) lab on campus. She has completed a clinical trial funded by the American Heart Association (AHA), received the Certificate of Research Excellence from the AHA, and serves as a reviewer for AHA grants and AHA conference presentations. Her tactical research in firefighters found that Mediterranean diet and in-station circuit training improved cardiovascular health and reduced the blood pressure surge experienced when the 911 alarm sounds. Dr. F is a nationally certified firefighter and a technical rescue specialist, and while living on the east coast she served as a volunteer firefighter and rescue technician for the local fire departments. Her research validated a novel Mediterranean diet scoring system which can be used as a simple method to track adherence. Here in California, community-based projects include cardiovascular screening in women, examining age and activity relationships; assessing the relationship between vascular stiffness and blood pressure; and examining occupational cardiac stress in firefighters. Studies examine how stressors (exercise or work-related) affect blood pressure, vascular health, and the hemodynamic responses. Her research aims to improve health in the understudied, with a special focus on females and on firefighters. The HEART lab moto: ~live healthy, live for your heart!