Bergen County Resident Named Vice President of Bergen County Foundation

Joyce Luhrs, a Leonia resident and president of the marketing, public relations, grants and management solutions firm Luhrs & Associates, has been named vice president on the board of trustees of the Hispanic Business Council Scholarship Foundation of NJ, Inc. (HBCSF). The HBCSF, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization located in Bergen County, New Jersey, has a mission to advance the educational aspirations of Hispanic students throughout the state by providing scholarships for an undergraduate degree so that they may become professionals, leaders and valued citizens of the community.

"In over two years, Joyce Luhrs has quickly risen up the ranks in the organization as a volunteer, a member of the Advisory Council, a trustee on the board of trustees, and now, Vice President. She has the range of experiences in the nonprofit and business sectors needed for the position. Her marketing campaign for the Foundation's annual scholarship/stipend awards resulted in a 103% increase in the applications received and a record number submitted in 2012. I look forward to her continued contributions in public relations, marketing, fundraising, and many other areas as Vice President,” said Hector Banegas, President Emeritus, HBCSF.

Ms. Luhrs brings to the Foundation extensive experience working with businesses and nonprofits to promote and increase their image and name recognition and revenues in various markets. A nationally published author and columnist, she has written articles for various publications, including the chapter, A Grant Writing Primer, in Charity Channel’s In the Trenches. You and Your Nonprofit. Her company, Luhrs & Associates, is a creative marketing, public relations, grants, and management services firm that works with businesses, celebrities, entertainers, artists, nonprofit organizations, and schools.

Called “Robin Hood to the Region’s Poor” by The Record, she has assumed leadership positions on several boards of directors. She also serves on the board of directors of the League of Women Voters of Northern Valley and the community based organization Leonia Arts. Her other philanthropic activities include providing pro-bono one-on-one consulting about public relations and publicity to nonprofit leaders attending the Center for Nonprofits’ annual conferences and serving on the scholarship review panel of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund for several years.
Ms. Luhrs received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College and a Master of Arts degree from Columbia University. She held a Leadership New Jersey fellowship and public policy fellowships from the University at Albany, State University of New York-Center for Women in Government & Civil Society, the City of New York and the Washington, D.C. based Institute for Educational Leadership’s Education Policy Fellowship Program.
She has received numerous awards, including a New Jersey Women of Achievement Award from Douglass College/the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs, the Volunteer Center of Bergen County’s Adult Volunteer Group Award, and several other honors.

About Luhrs & Associates
Luhrs & Associates provides creative marketing, public relations, and management solutions for businesses and non-profit organizations throughout the United States. Clients include celebrities, businesses, schools, and nonprofit organizations. Results are achieved with polished marketing and public relations strategies, plans, and campaigns; expert community outreach; program development and management; article development and placement; and management services.