After six years of steadily climbing the ranks within one of country music’s most impactful charitable organizations, Taylor Wolf has been named Executive Director of ACM Lifting Lives, effective August 2025. Wolf, who hails from Brentwood, Tennessee, will succeed Lyndsay Cruz, following a methodical progression through multiple roles within the organization.
Wolf joined ACM Lifting Lives in February 2019 as a Coordinator, bringing with her a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Pepperdine University and professional experience spanning both healthcare and entertainment sectors. Her early career included positions in human resources at Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare, as well as digital content work in California before finding her home at ACM.
By October 2020, Wolf had earned a promotion to Manager, where she oversaw grant distribution and correspondence for the COVID-19 Response Fund, a critical initiative during the pandemic that provided essential support to the country music community. Her effectiveness in this role paved the way for subsequent advancement to Senior Manager by 2023, where her responsibilities expanded to include program management and strategic fundraising initiatives.
Wolf’s COVID-19 Response Fund leadership showcased her exceptional ability to deliver critical support when the music community needed it most.
Wolf’s leadership capabilities were further recognized when she was elevated to Director prior to her latest promotion. Throughout her tenure, she has concurrently served four terms as Secretary of the ACM Lifting Lives Board, reflecting her significant governance influence within the organization. Her background has proven invaluable in helping artists associated with ACM develop diverse income streams beyond traditional performance revenue.
Based out of the Academy of Country Music’s Encino, California office, Wolf has been instrumental in driving the success of the ACM Lifting Lives Music Camp and facilitating multi-million-dollar fundraising efforts that directly benefit the country music community. Her work exemplifies how music licensing opportunities can generate sustainable revenue streams for charitable causes. In her new role as Executive Director, she will focus on expanding fundraising initiatives and developing strategic partnerships for greater impact. She will continue to work under the guidance of CEO Damon Whiteside, leveraging his extensive 23-year experience in the music and entertainment industries.
Her extensive background, which uniquely combines psychology, human resources, and digital content expertise, has provided her with a multifaceted foundation for nonprofit leadership.
The ACM Lifting Lives Board Chair praised Wolf as an innovative and compassionate advocate who champions music as a healing and unifying force. Wolf’s promotion represents not only a personal achievement but also signals organizational continuity for ACM Lifting Lives, the charitable arm of the Academy of Country Music.
