Photo submitted Tracey (Geci) Duncan is shown with her husband Jim and their two daughters, Jaylee, 4. and Delana, 1 1/2, in a recent family photo.

 Over the past 11 years, Duncan, 33, has mastered the skills necessary for properly recording the details of court proceedings, preliminary hearings, depositions, zoning and board hearings.

   Duncan’s duties have kept her in regular contact with judges, attorneys, law enforcement officials and many other legal professionals.

   “Every job is completely different than the last job, which keeps it refreshing and interesting,” Duncan explained. “I get to travel to several counties, work with different people on a variety of cases, so every day is different and I love that.”

   As a mother of two young children, Jaylee, 4, and Delana, 1 1/2, Duncan does much of her transcribing from home.

   “Working out of my home requires a lot of discipline, and with two young children, that’s sometimes challenging,” she added. “The support of my husband and parents have allowed me to be a working mother.”

   According to Duncan she eventually plans to pursue court reporting on a full-time basis once her daughters are both enrolled in school.

   Duncan is a 1995 graduate of Elk County Christian High School and a 1999 graduate of Tri-State Business Institute. Duncan and her husband, Jim, reside in Aliquippa with their two daughters.

   Tracey is the daughter of Char and Don Geci of St. Marys and is the granddaughter of Art “Poppy” Fledderman and Viola Geci. While growing up in St. Marys, Duncan and her family were active members of Queen of the World Church, where she and her husband were also united in marriage.

   While attending ECCHS, Duncan job shadowed with Betsy Nissel of Schreiber Reporting Services, a company she has been subcontracting with ever since.

   Duncan credits her experience with Nissel and working in court rooms in both Elk and Cameron counties as being the catalyst to her further pursuing a career as a court stenographer.

   “The small town, one-on-one atmosphere has really helped me gain the knowledge and experience that I have today,” Duncan said. “

   She explained that working in a county where there’s one judge for both Elk and Cameron counties, allowed for a more intimate setting. This is in stark contrast compared to what Duncan currently encounters working in Beaver and Allegheny counties, which have presented a quicker learning curve.

   Duncan noted that her job is a challenging career, citing when she was in college the drop out rate in the field was nearly 90 percent.

   “If you stay focused, driven and dedicated, you can do it,” Duncan said.

   When she’s not in a court room or situated at a computer, Duncan and her husband operate a carved in stone franchise.

   The couple also enjoys running and recently participated in the Pittsburgh Marathon Relay, running 4.3 miles each.

   “Being part of a team was a great experience and I’m looking forward to running a 10K in the fall,” Duncan said.