Manning has been the Art teacher at St. Mary’s School for the Deaf for 30 years. Her love of sailing has given her the opportunity to race boats on both Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, help to found a junior racing program in her area. In 2001, after accepting an invitation to sail as a guest crew member on the U.S. Brig Niagara in Erie, PA., Manning fell in love with square-rigged ships. She has sailed on all five Great Lakes aboard Niagara and participated in numerous port visits. She has also sailed aboard the German sail training vessel Roald Amundsen. Since 2009 Manning has been active with the Mystic Seaport PILOTS Program.