Sky Arnold serves as the communications director for Tennesseans for Student Success. Prior to his role at TSS, Arnold served vulnerable families in Tennessee as the Press Secretary for the Tennessee Department of Human Services. He is also known in Middle Tennessee for his years of covering state and local government at Nashville’s Fox 17 News. He is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and the son of a public school teacher.
Taylor Davis serves as project manager for the Tennesseans for Student Success team. Taylor graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with her Bachelor’s of Marketing. She is an alumna of the Eugene McDermott Scholars Program and has experience working in event and wedding planning. After living in Idaho, Florida and Texas, Taylor is proud to call Tennessee her home. Taylor and her husband spend their free time at church, volunteering with various organizations, and hiking with their rescue dog, Peter.
Brooke began working for Tennesseans for Student Success in March 2017. She currently serves as director of operations where she works alongside the president and CEO in meeting the organization’s strategic goals. Brooke earned her Bachelor of Arts from Middle Tennessee State University, and outside of TSS, you can find her baking with her two daughters, adventuring in the outdoors with her husband and family dogs, or cheering from the sidelines of her daughter’s soccer match.
Vanessa is the Office Administrative Assistant here at TSS. She is a 2021 graduate of St. Lawrence University in northern New York, receiving her degree in communications and creative writing. Vanessa has lived in western New York, northern New York, and Washington, DC, but is proud to now call Tennessee home. Outside of the office, you can find Vanessa spending time with her family, reading a book, or enjoying a walk.
Adam Lister serves as president and CEO of Tennesseans for Student Success, a nonprofit issue advocacy organization committed to improving student achievement in the Volunteer State. Prior to his role at Tennesseans for Student Success, Lister was vice president of policy at the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce where he directed public policy and government relations initiatives. In that capacity, he led the chamber’s political action committees and independent expenditure work to advance and support critical business advocacy priorities at the state, local, and federal level. Lister is a Nashville native and graduate of Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. Lister has also worked as an analyst with the Tennessee General Assembly and worked on a number of political campaigns including for U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Adam received a Bachelor of Science from Kentucky Wesleyan College, and is married to Dr. Amanda Lister, a public school teacher in Williamson County.
Meredith joins Tennesseans for Student Success after five years of working at schools within the NativityMiguel Coalition. She began her career as a teaching fellow at Nativity Boston, before serving as director of student support at Nativity Prep in Rochester, New York. A native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Meredith attended Boston College where she studied economics and political science and spent two summers interning for Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar. She went on to earn her master’s degree in developmental and educational psychology at the Boston College’s School of Education.
Jack Minor serves as vice president of strategy and advocacy for Tennesseans for Student Success. He has experience working in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives as well as congressional and presidential campaigns and a national think tank and advocacy organization. He previously served as chief of staff and lead communications adviser to former House Republican Conference Vice Chairman, U.S. Representative Mark Walker, and as digital content manager for Ted Cruz’s 2016 presidential campaign. As a communications, advocacy and policy professional, Jack has helped raise millions in online donations, managed seven-figure campaign spends, booked clients on premier national news outlets and assisted candidates from local school boards to Congress and the presidency. He is a graduate of Elon University, a North Carolina native and a former student of Tennessee public schools.
Lana Skelo serves as general counsel and vice president of government relations for Tennesseans for Student Success. Prior to TSS, Lana served as senior director of state legislative affairs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce where she oversaw lobbying compliance for the Institute for Legal Reform (ILR) and the Workforce Freedom Initiative. In that capacity, Lana was responsible for developing and managing state-level policy advocacy program in the tort reform space through an aggressive grassroots and public education plan. Lana also has experience as an attorney at Waller Law firm in Nashville where she focused on state business regulation and represented clients in strategic planning matters involving the executive and legislative branches of government as well as commissions, authorities and other entities. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and earned her J.D. from the University of Memphis-Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law.
