Mrs. Pongracz received her Bachelor of Science Degree in Secondary Education from Kutztown University with a double major of social studies and Spanish. She later received her Master of Education Degree from Kutztown University and a certificate as a reading specialist. She has taught computer classes and was an adjunct faculty member for Lehigh Carbon Community College for whom she taught GED classes. During her time working at Xerox and Autodesk, she gained experience in event planning while supporting sales staffs of up to 135 people.

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In 1996, Mrs. Pongracz founded a support group in the Lehigh Valley for people with Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD), a neurological voice disorder. Under her leadership, the group has promoted awareness by sending literature to 800 local physicians, placing articles about SD in several local newspapers, speaking on a local radio talk show and presenting to Kutztown University’s speech pathology students. The group has also done several fundraisers, including a benefit concert to raise money for research on SD. Mrs. Pongracz served as the Regional Coordinator of the Mid-Atlantic States for the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association for two years and continues to lead the local support group today.