Dr. Manning graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1998 and is originally from Baltimore, Maryland. His wife Leslie, is also a veterinarian. They have a teenage daughter and a teenage son. Their four-legged children include three cats, Mickie, Tori, and Cappy; a German shorthaired pointer, Boudreaux; and two horses, Blaze and Magic. In his free time, his interests are photography (wildlife and landscape), kayaking, and the latest technology.