Paula Forbes

Paula G. Forbes, J.D. is a transformational leadership consultant, executive coach, and founder of The Finding Human Institute LLC, a national consultancy dedicated to helping individuals and organizations lead with courage, compassion, and clarity. Drawing on more than three decades of experience in law, education leadership, and organizational transformation, Paula supports superintendents, executives, and changemakers in creating human-centered systems rooted in belonging, authenticity, and equity.

A three-year breast cancer survivor, Paula’s journey has deepened her perspective on change, resilience, and renewal. Her lived experience as a woman who has navigated personal and professional transformation fuels her ability to hold space for others as they move through change with grace. As a lifelong change agent, Paula believes that transformation—when approached consciously—can be a path toward freedom, wholeness, and joy.

Paula is known as a conversation catalyst—a facilitator who creates spaces for authentic dialogue that moves people and systems forward. Whether she’s coaching an executive team through transition, guiding educators toward human-centered leadership, or mentoring individuals seeking to redefine success, Paula helps her clients tap into their inner wisdom and design lives that align with who they truly are. Her passion lies in helping people realize abundance—financially and spiritually—by uncovering their purpose, embracing their unique magic, and leading from a place of authenticity and ease.

Through The Finding Human Institute, Paula leads immersive retreats, professional development programs, and facilitation trainings that integrate frameworks like Heather Plett’s Art of Holding Space, Theory U, and the Insights® Discovery model. These experiences invite participants to reflect deeply, reimagine possibility, and reconnect with what it means to be fully human in their work and their lives.

In addition to her consulting and coaching work, Paula has served as an adjunct professor for nearly two decades, teaching Education and the Law at the University of Minnesota and Public Policy and Leadership at Concordia University. Her academic, professional, and personal journeys come together in her mission: to help others live abundantly, lead courageously, and create meaningful change in the world—one human story at a time.