Bree Vopelak

Bree comes to the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute with a combination of programmatic experience, legal and compliance expertise, and private foundation experience. Most recently, Bree was senior director of compliance at a network of nonprofit organizations. Prior to that, she was the Senior Manager of Global Citizenship & Sustainability at Abbott Laboratories where she led employee giving campaigns and raised $15M for 9,500 charities in just one month. From 2012 to 2019, Bree was an attorney at Hamilton Vopelak P.C., a law firm that she co-founded to provide governance/tax law advice and IRS controversy resolution services to tax-exempt company-sponsored and family-endowed private foundations, public charities, educational and social welfare organizations, and faith-based organizations.

In her Meadows Institute role, Bree serves as General Counsel and a key strategic advisor to the leadership team and the Board of Directors. She oversees the organization’s legal, governance, compliance, and risk management functions, helping to ensure that the Institute advances its mission with integrity, accountability, and sound stewardship. Bree provides guidance on complex legal and regulatory matters, supports effective decision-making across the organization, and helps strengthen the policies and procedures that enable the Institute to maximize its impact.

Bree is licensed to practice law in Texas, Arkansas, California, Florida, and New York. She is a Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional (CCEP) through the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE). She holds a Master of Law in Taxation from University of Florida, a Juris Doctor from University of Arkansas, and a Bachelor of Arts in Speech and Communications from Texas A&M University.

When she’s not working, you will find Bree volunteering for her community baseball little league or driving kids to a practice or game. She is the proud mom of two young children and a member of the Choctaw/Creek Native American Tribe.