After Kenneth "Ken" Levinson lost his hearing from spinal meningitis at age one and a half, he began auditory training and was mainstreamed in public school beginning at age four. Levinson graduated from the University of Washington with a bachelor's degree in accounting followed by an MBA from Columbia University.

Levinson's first position was with Price Waterhouse in their New York office. Later Levinson went to work for Northrop Corporation in Los Angeles in an executive-level position as the manager of the Corporate Audit Department. In addition to his business activity, Levinson also served on the boards of directors of the Alexander Graham Bell Association, the Oral Education Center, and the Oralingua School.