Judy is not your average real estate agent. Well- and widely-educated, she brings to the profession the sum of wide-ranging experience in advertising, television news, government service, and academia. She is highly motivated, a self-starter, and lover of learning. She has characterized herself as a “workaholic” and goes the extra mile for her clients. She is well-versed in internet marketing techniques (one of only 11 e-PRO certified real estate agents in Northwest Arkansas) and communicates regularly with her clients by email.

Born and raised in Eveleth, Minnesota (pop. 5,000), a small community on the Mesabi Iron Range in northern Minnesota, she is the grandchild of Swedish and Finnish immigrants. Her education includes several college degrees: BA, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota, 1969 in English literature; BFA, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, 1975, Minneapolis, Minnesota, in film and photography; and MA, University of Arkansas, 1996, in political science.

After graduating from St. Olaf, she worked in the marketing services department for Augsburg Publishing House, the publishing arm of the (then) American Lutheran Church. After returning to school at MCAD, she was a film editor for television commercials and industrial films for various film production firms in Minneapolis. From 1978 to 1980 she served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, Central America, preparing audio-visual materials for training nursing assistants and other medical personnel for the Ministry of Health of Honduras. Judy speaks fluent Spanish.

Upon return to the United States, Judy was one of a core group of people who in 1981 began the national news program in Spanish for Univision, the principal Spanish-language television network in the US. As chief editor and head of post-production, she worked there for 9 years in Washington, DC, and Miami. She also has worked for ABC News in Washington, DC. In 1990, she began working for the USIA, a US-government agency, as a video editor for TV Marti, a Voice-of-America-type news broadcast to Cuba.

In 1993 Judy and her family relocated to Arkansas where she received her Masters degree in political science from the University and subsequently taught part-time for several years at the Northwest Arkansas Community College and the University of Arkansas. She has been practicing as a real estate professional since 1998.

Judy is married to Dr. Jorge Luna, DVM, a supervisor of poultry inspectors for the US Department of Agriculture. They have one child, Nick, a student at the Kansas City Art Institute. Her avocations include gardening, remodeling projects, and reading. She is one of the Fayetteville Public Library’s best customers.

Judy’s Professional Designations:

ABR® (Accredited Buyer Representative)—extra training to designed to help buyers. As such she is also a member of REBAC, the Real Estate Buyer’s Agency Council.
e-PRO—Internet Specialist--designation from the National Association of Realtors®. An e-Pro agent uses the latest technology to assist buyers and sellers of real estate.
GRI (Graduate of the Realtor® Institute)--a rigorous series of advanced courses in all aspects of real estate practice.
CRS (Certified Residential Specialist)--the top residential real estate designation based on significant numbers of transactions completed as well as highly-specialized advanced education. Only 4% of all real estate agents have achieved this designation.
ACRE (Accredited Consultant of Real Estate)--designation whereby agents operate on the consultant model of payment for services rendered instead of the traditional commission system. In the latter the agent takes all of the risk and earns nothing if a home doesn't sell, but there may be savings, especially for sellers, if they pay for services as the agent provides them.

Judy’s Professional Memberships