Originally from Martinsburg, West Virginia, Tanner received his Bachelor's of Arts in International Studies alongside Minors in German Studies and Japanese Studies from West Virginia University in 2023, as well as a Master's of Arts in Linguistics from West Virginia University in 2025. 

He is mainly interested in historical Germanic linguistics, language change, language preservation, as well as an interest in syntax. He is the instructor of record for JPNS 1001 (Elementary Japanese I) in the Department of Comparative Literature. In addition to his native language (English), as well as German and Japanese, Tanner can speak a handful of other languages, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Norwegian. He is an avid supporter of both the West Virginia University Mountaineers and the University of Georgia Bulldogs athletic programs.