Born and raised in northern Nevada, Christian attended the University of Nevada, Reno, and the Universidad del País Vasco, San Sebastián, Spain. After graduating in 2006, he relocated to Seattle, where he worked as a web editor and copywriter. In 2010, after gaining a TEFL certificate, he moved to South Korea, where he taught English to young learners. He earned a Cambridge CELTA in 2015, and the following year relocated to China, where he taught English to adults. Between 2022 and 2024, he served in the Cultural and Educational Section of the British Embassy at Beijing. He returned to the United States in 2024 to attend the Van Andel School of Statesmanship.