Sara LeMesh (Brown '12) is an opera singer turned tech entrepreneur. After graduating from Rice’s Shepherd School of Music, she pursued her master’s degree with soprano Dawn Upshaw and went on to sing with the San Francisco Opera Chorus in her hometown. In California, she started working in sales at a consultancy while continuing to sing at prestigious events part-time.

Surrounded by the tech industry in California, she decided to found her own startup, Ayuda Care, a company dedicated to reducing senior isolation with an online marketplace for senior events. Ayuda Care connects assisted living facilities with fitness instructors, art teachers and musicians like herself to host engaging and fun activities for senior residents. LeMesh also has enjoyed bringing music and joy to people as a volunteer for Bread & Roses, a non-profit that brings entertainment to marginalized communities. Inspired by her experiences performing in rehab facilities and prisons, such as San Quentin, LeMesh seeks to create a better world for aging adults by bridging the gap between freelancer talent and assisted living communities.