Ariel Luna
Bio
Co-founder and Program Director, Global Emergency Response and Assistance
Successful and influential Latino changemakers can motivate and inspire younger generations of Latinos to pursue their dreams and create positive change. Seeing possibility models creates ripple effects.
“Anything is possible with hard work and dedication. We have grit, compassion, and self-determination which are the ingredients for success in everything we pursue.”
Ariel J. Luna has been serving veterans in higher education and government for more than 18 years. Luna is originally from Brooklyn, New York, and grew up in the Starrett City section of East New York. His mother is from the Dominican Republic, and his father is from Argentina.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army at the start of 2000 and was stationed as a communication soldier in Fort Gordon, Georgia, South Korea, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After leaving the Army in 2002, he joined the NY National Guard where he was deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004-2005. While serving in the National Guard, Luna pursued his bachelor’s degree at Brooklyn College. He completed his master’s in Administrative Science with a concentration in Non-Profit Organizational Development, Human Resource Administration, and Global Leadership from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 2012.
In 2007, Luna had the opportunity to run a program at the NYC College of Technology. Despite being employed for only 15 hours a week, Luna managed to operate the office full-time with the help of his assistant and motivated VA work-studies. His resourcefulness allowed veterans attending school there to receive full-time service. Within two years, the Veteran Services Office assisted over 500 veterans with educational benefits, disability claims, job referrals, G.I. Bill workshops, and student veteran events. Luna’s philosophy in servicing veterans involves ensuring useful information is disseminated via email newsletters, VA publications, and referrals to other veteran services, enhancing student veterans’ engagement in their college experience and fostering camaraderie among them.
In 2009, Luna became the Director of Veteran Services for Fairleigh Dickinson University. The Office of Veteran Services he established provided students on campus and online access to a one-stop shop for their needs. Luna became known for his expertise on the new Post 9/11 G.I. Bill, having been involved with Student Veterans of America since 2008, a pivotal group in lobbying for its passage. During his tenure, Luna supported over 900 veterans in obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
After a successful tenure at FDU, Luna was appointed by Bergen County’s County Executive, James Tedesco III, as the new Director of Veteran Services for Bergen County. Luna plans to bring his experience and expertise to serve Bergen County’s 30,000 resident veterans, focusing on housing, employment opportunities, and service referrals.
In August 2016, Bergen County became the 28th community in the U.S. to effectively end veteran homelessness. Luna also built relationships with employers, securing 154 employment positions for veterans since 2015. The Division of Veteran Services assisted over 350 veterans in obtaining safe, permanent, and affordable housing in Bergen County, New Jersey. Luna introduced the VA Work Study program at Bergen County, enabling the County to hire part-time student veterans as interns at no cost to taxpayers. Notably, Luna created the Homeless Veteran Liaison position, facilitating veterans’ identification and development of plans for permanent housing while serving as Director of Veteran Services. Luna has received numerous accolades and media recognition for his work, including the 2017 “Homeless Veteran’s Outreach Award for the State of New Jersey” from the New Jersey American Legion, selection as the “VA Veteran of the Day” by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs in July 2018, and recognition at the 1st Annual Brenner Foundation Veteran Services Gala in October 2018. In 2019, he was featured in the Built for Zero Community Solutions national community model campaign and the Rocket Mortgage Community Solutions commercial for his leadership in veteran services.
From 2021 to 2022, Luna served as the Deputy Director for the Office of Government and Community Relations for the NJ Department of Transportation. He is also a founder of the NJ SOS Veteran Stakeholders Group, a Northern NJ non-profit organizing quarterly county meetings to facilitate networking and veteran referrals to community services. Luna contributes to Suicide Awareness Seminars, educating the community about resources available to veterans in crisis, with successful events held in Elmwood Park, Newark, and Trenton.
Ariel J. Luna is married to his wife, Shevonne Murray-Luna, and they have two daughters, Mariah Angel Luna (10) and AJ Luna (7).
