Denise S. Ponchak is the branch chief of the Communication System Integration Branch in the Communications Division at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The branch provides communications system performance analysis, simulation, and research to identify and create system-level products for Agency aeronautics and space missions.

Prior to becoming branch chief, Ms. Ponchak was a project manager for aeronautical communications, which focused on increasing the National Airspace System’s telecommunications capability, and a communications research engineer supporting future satellite-based communications.

Ms. Ponchak earned her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Cleveland State University in 1983, graduating with honors. She earned her master’s of science degree in electrical engineering in 1988, graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, also from Cleveland State University. She is a member of the Communications Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the Digital Avionics Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She is also a member of the engineering honor societies Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi.

Ms. Ponchak has worked for NASA Glenn Research Center for 21 years.