Dr. Sharine Forbes on Redefining Balance as a Mother, Doctoral Nurse Practitioner, and Founder of Eat Karma

Rooted in Excellence and Education

Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), MSG, BSN, BA, RN, is a board-certified Doctoral Nurse Practitioner and gerontologist whose extensive education and expertise reflect her commitment to excellence in healthcare, leadership, and community service. Her commitment to servant leadership is grounded in a distinguished educational foundation as a proud graduate of UCLA, the University of Southern California (USC), Duke University, and Johns Hopkins University. This academic journey, spanning four of the nation’s most prestigious institutions, has shaped her philosophy of integrated care, cultural competency, and clinical precision. It also informs her holistic approach to wellness, food equity, and leadership, ensuring that her work reflects both academic excellence and a deep dedication to serving others.

The Mission and Vision Behind Eat Karma

Founded by Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), and her Isabella Forbes Lewis (co-founder) whom she shares with NFL player Marcedes Lewis, Eat Karma is not just a nonprofit—it is a reflection of their shared values and unwavering commitment to service. Its mission is to break barriers and ensure that everyone, regardless of health status, has access to culturally tailored, high-quality, and affordable meals. “As we nourish bodies, we also nourish hope,” is the heart of Eat Karma’s mission.  Guided by a vision to serve as catalysts for healthier lifestyles, foster meaningful community connections, and nurture holistic well-being, Eat Karma began as an act of service and continues to grow.

Her daughter is growing up fast. So is the work. And balance, as she frames it, isn’t something she discovered; rather, it’s something that she defined herself.

The Myth of the Perfect Calendar

Balance isn’t dictated by calendars. As a practicing medical provider Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), has learned that some weeks require more focus on her daughter, while others demand her more attention to her clinical practice, international consulting projects and Eat Karma’s operations. In all seasons, she leads from presence—not pressure.

“The calendar doesn’t get the final say. Balance is about presence, energy, and grace, not performance.” — Dr. Forbes, D-FNP

Faith at the Center of It All

Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC) raises her daughter with a timeless truth: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). One of the most important lessons she teaches Isabella is that success, humility, and servant leadership are not mutually exclusive—they are most powerful when woven together. “True greatness lies in serving others with a humble heart, just as Jesus Christ, our Lord, did.” — Dr. Forbes, D-FNP

Boundaries That Protect What Matters Most

Whether it’s attending Isabella’s school events or tennis tournaments, providing medical care to patients, or planning Eat Karma operations, Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), honors every role with full presence. She sets boundaries not to limit herself—but to protect what matters most. When she is with Isabella, she is present. When she is leading, she is focused. Her clarity creates space for deep impact. Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC) does not believe leadership and motherhood are in conflict. She declines opportunities that disrupt her household’s rhythm and embraces those that elevate her purpose. Guilt is replaced with grace. Hustle is replaced with intentional impact.

The expression “doing it all” has been around for so long that it is no longer relevant.  It suggests that breadth is the aim and that performance improves with increased management. Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), of Los Angeles, however, disagrees with that model. For Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), success is not about “doing it all.” It suggests that breadth is the aim and that performance improves with increased management. Dr. Sharine Forbes of Los Angeles, however, disagrees with that model. She stands by the fact that she doesn’t want to do it all, but she wants to do everything that matters to the best of her ability, and she somehow manages to do that. This really matters when you have a daughter, as she watches her mother lead a business while being totally present. It sets an example in the best possible way. It’s about choosing—carefully, unapologetically, and in alignment with your values.

Raising a Daughter of Purpose

One of Dr. Sharine Forbes’, D-FNP (BC), greatest legacies is reflected in her daughter, Isabella Forbes-Lewis, who is already a beacon of excellence—leading, learning, and giving back. Isabella embodies the very principles her mother models, as she describes in her own words: “Having high-achieving parents is a blueprint that reminds me nothing comes easy—success requires hard work, determination, love, grit, integrity, and humility. I apply these values every day: starting college courses at age 13 and maintaining a 3.75 GPA, graduating 8th grade with a 4.0 while balancing advanced high school and middle school courses, co-founding Eat Karma, and staying disciplined on the tennis court. Everything I do is driven by purpose.” Her achievements stand as a testament to the values of faith, discipline, and purpose instilled by Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC),

A Living Testament to Balance, Faith, and Legacy

Dr. Sharine Forbes, D-FNP (BC), is not balancing for applause, but to honor her faith, raise her daughter, and fulfill her calling—building a legacy of healing, service, and purpose with love, wisdom, and God at the center.

Through Eat Karma, her work as a board-certified Doctoral Nurse Practitioner, and the values she passes on, she is building a legacy of healing, service, and purpose. Because in the end, balance isn’t something you find. It’s something you define—and then defend. With love. With wisdom. And with God at the center.

Support the mission by visiting EatKarma.org and sharing it with others to help continue bringing healthy food and hope to those in need across Los Angeles.