At age 17, Hicks graduated from Westminster High School, having achieved a record of perfect attendance there, and enlisted in the Marine Corps shortly afterward.

Upon being honorably discharged from the Marine Corps at the rank of captain, Hicks initially worked for the United States Department of Justice Office of Immigration Litigation in Washington D.C. as a volunteer law clerk.

In 2010, Hicks filed to run for Oregon House District 3 shortly after incumbent Rep. Ron Maurer announced that he would not seek reelection.

Oregon's Chief Justice, Paul De Muniz, and Co-Speaker of the House Rep. Bruce Hanna, testified in favor of the bill.

At the end of the 2011 long session, the Oregonian calculated that Hicks voted with the majority of his party 83.33% of the time, which was less than any other member of the House of Representatives.