Tanner studied PPE and Classics at Dartmouth. Previously, he founded and exited Downballot Solutions with Arvind Veluvali (Fresco AI, YC F24), a political campaign tech startup. Later, Tanner was the Technology and Regulatory Policy Director at Joe Lonsdale's Cicero Institute, where he was the 2024 employee of the year. Tanner also coached the 2021 speech and debate national champion, holds powerlifting records in two states, and qualified to the 2023 IPL world powerlifting championships.