Masami Tyson

Masami Izumida Tyson is Chief of Staff to Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. She was appointed by Mayor Freddie O’Connell in July 2025. Among other duties, Ms. Tyson serves as the senior most advisor to the mayor, handles the day-to-day operations of the mayor’s office, acts as the key liaison between the mayor and other agencies, stakeholders, and partners, and helps the mayor achieve his goals.

Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, Masami received her B.A. and M.A. in The Writing Seminars at The Johns Hopkins University. After teaching creative writing at Johns Hopkins, she received her JD from Vanderbilt Law School.
Masami’s twenty-year plus legal career includes working as a federal law clerk, as a law firm partner, and in various senior in-house positions. She served as the Global Director of Foreign Direct Investment and Trade, a non-lawyer role, for the State of Tennessee from 2018 to 2022 and led Tennessee’s FDI recruitment efforts by maintaining strategic oversight and through supporting global companies. She also built relationships with diplomatic, economic, and international organizations from all over the world in that role.

Masami is also the board chair for the Japan-America Society of Tennessee, board member of the U.S.-Japan Council, past board member of Hands On Nashville, and past Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Commissioner.
Masami and her husband Dr. Rich Tyson, a pulmonologist, have three children. Her favorite pastimes include reading, traveling, and spending time with her family.