Alex has been an active member of the Master Judges Program since it's inception and a platinum member for the past ten years.

Alex is an award-winning stylist, salon owner, trainer, and educator. For forty five years he has owned Salon Alessandro in St.Catharines, Ontario with his brother Frank, a World Supreme winner. During this time, Salon Alessandro has won over 60 competition awards. More recently daughter Rachel entered the competition scene winning numerous provincial awards and representing Canada five times at the World Championships - most recently last Spring in Seoul, Korea which Alex attended.

For over twenty years Alex has been active in education teaching both the Hairstylist Apprentice Program in Ontario and a skill enhancement program for hairstylists.
Alex is passionate about all aspects of the hair industry, particularly competitions. He is thrilled that two of his daughters are active in hair competitions and have joined him in the Master Judge Program.

Rachel Fortino can’t remember a day that she wasn’t surrounded by hair. As a 3rd generation stylist, Rachel grew up in a life that revolved around the craft of hairdressing. The circumstances of her life initially drew her to the craft, where she fell in love and has worked tirelessly for over twenty years to gain the reputation that she has.

When Rachel isn’t managing operations at her family’s salon, she is prepping tirelessly for a competition. Rachel trains for competitions with the same assertive nature that you would expect from an athlete. When a World Competition approaches, Rachel is practicing for up to four hours daily. Such practice comes with a payoff, though, as Rachel has brought home numerous awards. She won her first professional competition in 2006, which led her to represent Canada at the Hairworld competition in Moscow (2006). Since then, she has competed for Team Canada in Chicago (2008), Paris (2010), Frankfurt (2014) and Seoul (2016). Rachel also placed in the top 3 Allied Beauty Association competitions every year for the past decade and also was placed as a semi-finalist/finalist at the Wella Trend Vision.

Rachel is currently part of the ‘Master Judge’ program as encouraged by her father, Alex Fortino, who is a Canadian master judge that is now qualified to judge world championships. She’s worked on looks for the ‘Sebastian What’s Next Awards’ and recently helped Eden Sassoon (daughter of hair icon, Vidal Sassoon) with a social media campaign – #iamavisualartist- to help the craft of hairdressing be recognized as a visual art. Rachel is currently the General Manager of OMC Team Canada and was recently awarded the Achievement Award from OMC Hairworld

Amber Riegle brings over 15 years of experience to the salon and a true passion for helping people look and feel their best. From a young age, she knew hairstyling was her calling—practicing on family, friends, and even dolls before building a successful career in the industry.
Amber’s talent has earned her international recognition. She was both a semi-finalist and finalist in Los Angeles for the Sebastian What’s Next Awards, placing in the top three in North America. She has also competed in the Wella Trend Vision competition and the ABA Men’s Pompadour competition, continually pushing herself to grow and refine her craft.
Known for her creativity and dedication, Amber is passionate about evolving with the industry and plans to continue using social media as a platform to inspire, connect, and showcase her work. One of her personal goals is to return to the ABA competition and achieve a top-three placement.
Above all, Amber loves making people feel beautiful and confident—because when you love how you look, it shows.

Vanessa Fortino was born into the world of hair and began her professional journey in 2007. She attended Niagara College for Cosmetology, graduating in 2009, and has spent the last 17 years continually elevating her craft. Vanessa has pursued advanced education through Wella and Vidal Sassoon, ensuring she stays at the forefront of the latest techniques and trends.
She spent six weeks in Santa Monica, California, completing an intensive Vidal Sassoon cutting program and has traveled extensively across Europe and North America to attend industry seminars, shows, and advanced training. Vanessa has also worked backstage with the Wella Professionals hair team at New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.
Her talent and dedication have earned her recognition in multiple competitions, including being named a semi-finalist in the Sebastian What’s Next Awards and winning second place at the Skills Canada competition while attending Niagara College. Vanessa’s work was featured on the cover of Panoram Magazine in 2018, and in 2019 she traveled to Los Angeles as a finalist in the Wella Beauty Envision Awards, placing in the top three in North America.
Vanessa is currently a Brand Educator for Wella, Nioxin, and Sebastian and has been a valued team member since 2007. Deeply passionate about her career, she considers her co-workers her extended family and brings that same sense of care and dedication to every client she works with.

Page Agostino has always been inspired by the worlds of fashion and hair and knew from a young age that hairstyling was her calling. She graduated from Niagara College in 2011 and brings over 15 years of experience to the industry, ranging from behind-the-chair artistry to modeling for competitive stylists.
Always eager for a creative challenge, Page’s passion has taken her around the world to compete at the highest level. She has represented her craft at the OMC Hair World Championships in Paris, France, and Seoul, South Korea, and has competed extensively across Ontario and Quebec at the ABA, earning multiple wins in the Women’s Cut category. In 2017, Page was named a top 10 semi-finalist for the prestigious Contessa Awards.
A strong believer in continuing education, Page has traveled throughout the United States to attend advanced TONI&GUY training, continually refining her technique and staying ahead of trends. Behind the chair, she is especially known for her precision—her favourite services include sleek bobs and expertly crafted short haircuts.
Page is dedicated to delivering modern, confidence-boosting styles while ensuring every client leaves feeling polished, empowered, and inspired.

Stacy Barrett is not just a hairdresser; she's an artist who transforms hair into masterpieces. With a love for hair coloring techniques, haircuts, and hairstyling, Stacy's passion shines through in every client she works with. But her talents and interests extend far beyond the salon chair.

Stacy's journey into the world of hairdressing began with a fascination for colors and shapes. She honed her skills through years of training and experience, mastering the latest trends while also staying true to timeless styles. From balayage to ombre, from pixie cuts to long layers, Stacy can do it all, always ensuring that her clients leave feeling confident and beautiful.

We're thrilled to welcome Sara Martin to our team at Salon Alessandro!
With over 5 years of experience behind the chair, Sara brings not only skill but an infectious passion for helping clients feel refreshed, confident, and uniquely themselves. A graduate of Cappa College and trained at the renowned Sassoon Academy in Toronto (ABC Cutting Course), Sara's artistry is rooted in both education and creativity.
For Sara, hairstyling is more than just a profession-it's a powerful form of connection and self-expression. Her chair is a place where beauty meets confidence. Her favourite part of the job? That moment when a client lights up after a bold transformation or a subtle refresh-feeling truly seen, empowered, and radiant.
Sara is all about continued growth and bringing her creative vision to life through every cut, colour, and style. We can't wait for you to experience her talent and warmth firsthand!
Now booking with Sara-come say hi and let her work her magic!

Katie McCauley discovered her passion for hair at a young age and began building a loyal clientele while still in high school. She graduated from the Hairstyling program at Niagara College in early 2022 and has now been in the industry for over four years.
Known for her creativity and attention to detail, Katie loves transforming hair through custom colour services and is especially passionate about working with curly hair. She is dedicated to continuing her education and refining her craft, with dreams of working on editorial photoshoots and styling for the stars.
Whether you’re looking for a bold change or a look that enhances your natural beauty, Katie is committed to helping every client feel confident, beautiful, and heard in her chair.

Connor is a graduate of Niagara College and is Salon Alessandro’s Newest Talent, bringing both creativity and intention to every appointment.
Connor’s passion for hairstyling began in 2020 during his final year of high school in South Africa, a time marked by uncertainty due to COVID. During the pandemic, experimenting with his own hair became a creative outlet — and quickly revealed a deeper love for the craft and for helping people feel confident in themselves.
At the salon, Connor is known for creating a welcoming, comfortable experience where clients feel at ease. Building genuine relationships is a key part of his approach, with the goal of turning first-time guests into long-term, returning clients — and even friends.
Connor is especially passionate about working with wavy, curly, and textured hair, and has a strong interest in blonding services and blowouts, continually refining his skills to deliver personalized, effortless results.