About

Hi! My name is Christie but some of my friends and family call me Chris. I was born and raised in West Virginia, and I am a Plant-Based Nerd. 😉 I have worked in the tech industry for 20 years.  In the late 1990s, I was living in an RV on the beach and working as a maid when I started teaching myself how to code.  Two years later, I landed my first gig as a Logistics Analyst working for a Government Contractor on database-driven ColdFusion applications for the Navy, Marines, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

I am passionate about development and design so when my passions turned to the plant-based diet to help cope with a severe back injury and Ankylosing Spondylitis diagnosis, I knew I wanted to create this site to help others who were suffering. I am still (forever and always) learning, so we can learn new things together!

In 2020, I quit my job in Corporate America sporadically with no other job or benefits lined up – I was terrified!  The following day, I was graciously given a part-time job as a Medical Dispatcher and then things started happening!

So far over the last 3 years, following the plant-based refined sugar-free diet has completely stopped my chronic annual ear infections, my chronic back and sternum pain I have lived with for decades, my seasonal allergies, and more. It has been an unbelievable ride and I am happy to share it with you! 

Now in 2022, I am a remote programmer and blogger. You can find my business page here: Athena Blue, LLC, and my blogs here:

• Wild and Wanderin‘: Travel and Remote Work in West Virginia Blog
• WV Weird: West Virginia: Wild, Wonderful, and Weird Blog
• and of course Plant-Based Nerd – Welcome!

I have also been writing for Hill Tree Roastery, a single-source, West Virginia-based small-batch coffee roaster.  Check out their monthly subscription home delivery service called the Roaster’s Passport! Tell them Plant-Based Nerd sent you. 😉

In addition to working as a programmer and developer for over 20 years, I have volunteered with WV public schools, the Department of Defense Education Activity for the Hour of Code 2020 and 2021, and the Center for Independent Living Orlando learning how to implement Section 508 standards of web design for users with disabilities.

I hope that you find some inspiration, try new things, and then tell me all of your secrets 😉 

Remember it’s okay to not label yourself and have grace with yourself on your cheat days. It’s a lifestyle change and not a punishment. 🙂 The Plant-Based Nerd is a judgment-free and inclusive community.

@theplantbasednerd