Forga finished the Business Administration program at HCC in 1991 as the first in her family to get a college degree. She continued her education at UNCA where she received a Bachelor’s degree in literature and language. In 2000, she finished law school at Chapel Hill. 

Forga was first elected as District Court Judge in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014. She is one of six rotating judges for seven counties including: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, and Swain.

Forga says that HCC taught her that she could succeed and overcome obstacles. “Without coming to HCC first, I would not have continued my education to become a lawyer then a judge. HCC showed me I could make the grades and balance being a parent while going to school. There were a lot of people going to HCC that were in my shoes. They were struggling too.”