Meet Christina
If you’ve taken a Hammerstone class, there’s a good chance you’ve crossed paths with Christina Alario. From porches to power tools, she’s done it all and brought her curiosity, care, and carpentry skills to everything she touches.
We sat down with Christina to learn more about what brought her to Hammerstone, what inspires her, and what she’s dreaming up next.
Christina first found out about Hammerstone from a flier on campus at Cornell where she was employed at the time. Christina recalls. “It immediately caught my eye… I grew up playing with scalpels and microscopes. My parents were both in medicine and I had an affinity for the sciences. I was always the “handy person” in my house, though, and would assemble the flat pack furniture, but I never actually got into using tools until I started at Hammerstone.”
That flier kicked off what would become a career not only in carpentry, but in teaching, operations, and community building.
Since joining the Hammerstone team, Christina has worked on a wide range of projects across the region. Some of her favorites? “Definitely porches. I love working outside and carrying heavy things,” she laughs. “One was in Fall Creek, another at EcoVillage.”
Before Hammerstone, Christina also contributed to larger community sites like the Ithaca Journal Building, Cascadilla Boat House, and Stone Bend Farm. But her dream project?
“Carl Sagan’s house,” she says without missing a beat. “It would be incredible to work in that space. I’ve always found inspiration in science and the cosmos.”
So how did Christina move from student to lead instructor? She reminiced “I had the privilege of being a TA for many classes before I started instructing here at Hammerstone. I do remember the very first class I ever TA’d. I remember during introductions going around the room and everyone talking about their previous carpentry experience. I had been working full-time for Hammerstone for two weeks at that point, so my previous experience was 11 days. But in that room, that made me one of the more experienced folks! That’s the beauty of Hammerstone…”
“…Everyone starts somewhere, and we build each other up.”
Her path from TA to Lead Instructor and Director of Operations has felt like a natural fit. “I’ve spent most of my life teaching or leading in some way. Carpentry just added another layer.”
Pearl on her custom perch.
She’s especially proud of developing new classes that respond to student interests like the Cat Shelf class, which combines basic carpentry skills with feline-friendly fun. “It’s a great way to get to know students beyond the tools. Plus, Pearl [Christina’s cat] loves hers.”
When Christina’s not leading a build or sketching out new course ideas, she’s probably taking a class. “I’ll sign up for just about anything. I’ve taken woodworking, hand tool classes, even tie dye and stained glass.” She recently took a Historic Wood Window Repair course taught by self proclaimed “Pain in the Glass” Steve Jordan, and a Seat Weaving class at Significant Elements in Ithaca. Christina is always looking to find ways to bring those types of experiences to Hammerstone.
Beyond Hammerstone, Christina’s skills show up everywhere. Whether she is fixing things for friends by building up others’ confidence, or just being the person who shows up with a drill and a solution.
“I’m always looking for ways to help people feel more capable whether that’s teaching them how to use a miter saw or showing them how to believe in themselves. Carpentry is the tool. Empowerment is the goal.”
Interested in learning from Christina?
Keep an eye on our upcoming course schedule and you might just find yourself building brand new sense of confidence.
