He has served four terms on the Madison County Board of Education — 18 years — overseeing grants and building projects that have directly benefited our students. Off the clock, he coaches middle school soccer and serves as President of the Board for My Sister's Place, Madison County's Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center. Craig Goforth doesn't just talk about serving this community. He has spent his entire life doing it.

2026 Elections | Madison County Dems

Craig D. Goforth coaches middle school soccer and serves as president of the board of My Sister's Place, Madison County's Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center.

Madison County Dems

Craig currently works as a professor and chair of the criminal justice department at Mars Hill University. He has served as a law enforcement officer and previously worked as a military police officer and police chief.

Craig currently serves as chair of the Madison County Board of Education. He has served four terms on the board.

2026 North Carolina General Election

As of April 6, 2026, Craig D. Goforth did not have a website or any information online.

School Curriculum

1. In general, what do you feel are a few of the most pressing issues the board of commissioners should focus on in the next 4-5 years? Specifically, what are your thoughts on the growing residential and business development in Madison County? Number one is controlling the growth coming at us (Buncombe, Weaverville). The land use ordinance that is being done now will be our controlling document. We can grow residential areas / business but it MUST be incremental so that services can keep up with the progress, Police/Fire/ Ems/Schools.

Bring in green and clean industry.

News-Record & Sentinel interviews Madison County commissioner candidates

Calls for incremental residential and business growth so schools and other public services can keep pace.

- Calls for incremental residential and business growth so schools and other public services can keep pace.

School Facilities & Resources

Student Wellbeing

Access to Education

Teachers

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Craig D. Goforth

As of April 6, 2026, Craig D. Goforth’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Dr. Craig Goforth is a professor, law enforcement officer, and lifelong public servant who has dedicated his career to Madison County. He chairs the Criminal Justice Department at Mars Hill University, where he has taught and served in administrative leadership since 1990. A sworn law enforcement officer for over 27 years, former military police officer, and former Chief of Police, Craig brings a deep understanding of justice, accountability, and community safety to everything he does.

Craig D. Goforth chairs the Criminal Justice Department at Mars Hill University, where he has taught and held an administrative leadership role. He is a sworn law enforcement officer and previously served as a military police officer and chief of police.

Craig brings a deep understanding of justice, accountability, and community safety to everything he does. He has served four terms on the Madison County Board of Education — 18 years — overseeing grants and building projects that have directly benefited our students.

Craig has served four terms on the Madison County Board of Education over 18 years.

Goforth's self-reported background in the 2022 candidate interview states: “Family: I have been married for 40 years (Mary Alice) and have three boys. Devon is a Physicist at Johns Hopkins, Daniel is a School teacher / coach Madison Middle, Aaron is a Lawyer in Raleigh. I have three grand kids that call me Paw-Paw, my favorite title.”

News-Record & Sentinel candidate interview coverage

Commissioner candidates discuss their views on county's expansion ...

Community involvement: school board (18 years). President My Sister’s Place, Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis.

News-Record & Sentinel candidate interview excerpt

Key Staff

County DSS Board:
Deborah Ponder: Chair
Craig Goforth: Vice Chair
Darlyne Rhinehart
William Roberts
Karen Sue Vilcinskas

Board of Commissioners

NC General Assembly Delegation

Madison County Department of Social Services

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE, Asheville, N.C. B.A. degree in
Sociology, Criminal Justice and Administration concentration, courses included Psychology,
Sociology, and Social Psychology, 3.8 grade point average in major, Alpha Kappa Delta
(AKD) honors, December 1982.
ASHEVILLE-BUNCOMBE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE, Asheville, N.C., Basic Law
Enforcement Training, certification as law enforcement officer for North Carolina, August
1988.

cdg resume

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY, Cullowhee, North Carolina. Master of Arts in Education,
College Teaching, academic area was Criminal Justice, 4.0 GPA, Pi Gamma Mu Honors,
December 1994.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE, Asheville, N.C. B.A. degree in
Sociology, Criminal Justice and Administration concentration, courses included Psychology,

Education:
Northcentral University, Prescott Valley, Arizona. Ph.D. in Business Administration with a
specialization in Criminal Justice (Alpha Phi Sigma Honors, National Criminal Justice Honor
Society), April 2010.
Dissertation Topic: Examining rape myth acceptance: Assessing a college's proactive
program (Mock Rape Trial) on possible student retention.

Craig D. Goforth is president of My Sister’s Place, Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis, and is listed as vice chair of the Madison County Department of Social Services Board. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology, with a concentration in criminal justice and administration, from the University of North Carolina at Asheville; a Master of Arts in education, with an academic area in criminal justice, from Western Carolina University; and a Ph.D. in business administration, specializing in criminal justice, from Northcentral University.

Madison County Department of Social Services | NCDHHS

August 2015 – August 2016: Mars Hill University, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice.
August 2016 – Present: Mars Hill University, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice.
September 2011 - August 2015: Mars Hill University. Assistant Vice President for Enrollment
Management, Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.1997 –August 2015: Mars Hill University, Assistant Vice President for Student Development; Dean
of Student Development.

Law Enforcement Officers' Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Certificates (N.C.’s highest
level of certification). Sworn officer 1988 – present, Detective for the Madison County
Sheriffs’ Office.

Military Experience: May 1981 to April 1987, North Carolina Army National Guard, HHD 109 MP
Bn, Asheville, N.C.; Military Policeman; MP school, MPI and CID training; extensive
training in law enforcement and physical security.
Professional Experience:

Service to the Community:
2003 - 2017: Current District One Representative on the Madison County School Board; previous
Vice Chair.

Twitter

Instagram

Family: I have been married for 40 years (Mary Alice) and have three boys. Devon is a Physicist at Johns Hopkins, Daniel is a School teacher / coach Madison Middle, Aaron is a Lawyer in Raleigh. I have three grand kids that call me Paw-Paw, my favorite title.

News-Record & Sentinel candidate interview republished by Asheville Citizen-Times

Craig Goforth
Ph.D. in Business Administration / specialization in criminal justice . I have worked at Mars Hill University since 1990, as Dean of Students/ Chief of Campus Police / Chair of the Criminal Justice Department.

Profession: Law enforcement officer (current) for over 28 years, holding the advanced certificate; served as a military police officer in the U. S. Army.

Craig D. Goforth (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Madison County Board of Commissioners in North Carolina. Goforth was on the ballot in the general election on November 8, 2022.

Craig D. Goforth (Madison County Board of Commissioners, North Carolina, candidate 2022)

Craig ran for the Madison County Board of Commissioners in 2022.

Madison County, North Carolina, elections, 2022 - Ballotpedia

Craig D. Goforth has been married for 40 years to his wife, Mary Alice. They have three sons and three grandchildren together. He is a law enforcement officer and has served on the school board for 18 years.

Craig is a law enforcement officer. He has served as a military police officer in the U.S. Army. He also works at Mars Hill University, where he has been since 1990. He previously served as the dean of students, chief of campus police, and chair of the criminal justice department. 

Craig previously served on the Madison County Board of Education for 18 years. He ran for the Madison County Board of Commissioners in 2022.

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Buket Urgen

John H. Bratz

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. The Board of Education is mostly independent from the rest of the county government.
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, make decisions based on the superintendents recommendations, manage the finances of the board, appoint the superintendent, and provide good quality school facilities.
- In addition to the typical responsibilities of a Board of Education Member, Board of Education Chairs also oversee create the agenda for board meetings.
- Board of Education members are most often elected to 4 year terms in nonpartisan elections, although some counties in North Carolina elect members to 2 year terms. The Chair of the County Board serves in their role for 1 year. 

Head of the board that governs your county's public school system.