LeAnn Hicks began her career as a veterinary assistant while going to school to become a veterinary technician. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lincoln Memorial University and became licensed as a veterinary technician in 1994. After working in private practice for several years, she was employed at an emergency clinic and fostered a strong interest in emergency and critical care. She began part time work at the University of Tennessee in the small animal ICU in 2001 which developed later to a full time position. She passed her AVECCT exam and became a veterinary technician specialist in emergency and critical care in 2008.