A Chicago, Illinois resident, Joanna Manaves is involved with the United Hellenic Voters of America (UHVA), an organization that advocates for the interests of Greek Americans in the United States. Since joining it, Joanna Manaves has served as regional vice president and national director.

The UHVA encourages its members to vote by putting together an endorsement list of candidates. While national elections are important, many of the decisions that local politicians make directly affect the lives of community residents. For example, the daily operation of schools, parks, and libraries and infrastructural issues come from local leaders. More importantly, local politicians decide how to spend tax revenue.

For this reason, the UHVA takes the initiative in helping members who might not vote in state and local elections. Through its UHVA Supreme Board's two fact-finding sessions, the organization puts together a list of candidates it believes merit support and might improve the Greek community. These endorsements do not focus on party affiliation.

The UHVA focuses on candidates committed to Greek values and community issues, and many candidates have participated in endorsement sessions. The Supreme Board also considers member contributions when making decisions about endorsing candidates.