Hi, I'm Allison
Full-Stack Developer & Tattoo Artist
I'm a software engineer and tattoo artist living with my fiancé Violet and our two rescued chinchillas in a setup that perfectly blends code, creativity, and chaos. By day, I build web applications with Vue, Nuxt, TypeScript, and modern tooling. By evening, I translate ideas into permanent art on skin.
My journey into tech started with teenage curiosity—customizing MySpace profiles and building terrible websites that somehow worked. What began as digital tinkering evolved into a career spanning startups, established companies, and everything in between. I've shipped applications for healthcare, e-commerce, education, and finance, always focusing on user experience and maintainable code.
Tattooing entered my life as a creative outlet that software couldn't provide. There's something profound about creating permanent art that becomes part of someone's story. The precision required, the collaboration with clients, the immediate tactile feedback—it complements coding in ways I never expected. Both crafts require patience, attention to detail, and the ability to bring someone's vision to life.
At home, our rescued chinchillas Ray and Paddy keep life interesting. Ray is our gentle giant who perfected the art of being a furry loaf, while Paddy brings endless energy and mischief. They're active during my late-night coding sessions, which works out perfectly. I also maintain a collection of split keyboards—my daily driver is a pink Sofle running my ZMK fork with OLED screens, and a Lily58 with an integrated trackpad for when precision cursor control matters.
My Journey
Teenage Tinkering
It started with MySpace profile customization and terrible HTML experiments. I was that kid who viewed source on every website, trying to understand how digital things worked. Building my first "Hello World" page felt like magic—I could create something from nothing but text in a file.
Formal Education & First Jobs
College gave me the theory—algorithms, data structures, software engineering principles. But the real learning happened during internships and first jobs, where I discovered that shipping working software requires much more than perfect code. Communication, collaboration, and understanding user needs became as important as technical skills.
Professional Growth & Tattoo Discovery
Years of startup life, scaling challenges, and diverse projects across healthcare, fintech, and e-commerce taught me that technology is only as good as the problems it solves. Around this time, I discovered tattooing—initially as stress relief, but it quickly became a parallel creative practice that informed my approach to software development.
Present Day
Now I balance software engineering with tattoo artistry, finding that each practice strengthens the other. I maintain open-source keyboard firmware, write about technology and creativity, and continue building applications that solve real problems. Violet and our chinchillas keep me grounded, reminding me that the best work happens when you bring your whole self to it.
Technical Arsenal
Frontend Magic
- Vue.js / Nuxt 3
- React / Next.js
- TypeScript
- Tailwind CSS
- Three.js / WebGL
Backend Power
- Node.js / Express
- GraphQL / REST
- PostgreSQL
- MongoDB
- Redis
Cloud & DevOps
- Docker / K8s
- AWS / GCP
- CI/CD Pipelines
- Firebase
- Vercel / Netlify
Tools & More
- Git / GitHub
- Jest / Vitest
- Cypress / Playwright
- Figma
- AI Tools
Beyond the Code
Split Keyboards
Daily drivers: Lily58 with integrated trackpad, and a pink Sofle running my ZMK fork with OLED screens and wireless dongle setup. I maintain open-source firmware to help others get started with splits.
Tattoo Artistry
Part-time tattoo artist specializing in linework, botanical designs, and collaborative custom pieces. I love the intersection of technical precision and creative expression—much like coding, but permanent.
Chinchilla Parents
Ray and Paddy, our rescued chinchillas who keep life interesting. Ray is our gentle giant who perfected the loaf position, while Paddy brings chaos and endless energy. They're active during my late-night coding sessions.
Let's Create Something Amazing
I'm always excited about new challenges and collaborations. Whether you have a project in mind or just want to connect, I'd love to hear from you.