Governor Polis Appoints Kara Veitch Chief Legal Counsel

DENVER - Governor Jared Polis appointed Kara Veitch as Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor today. Ms. Veitch has served as Executive Director of the Department of Personnel & Administration since 2019.

“Kara brings a wealth of experience to our legal team and administration. She will continue to serve the people of Colorado in this important role, fortify our work to ensure Colorado’s legal system reflects our communities, and continue to build a Colorado for all,” said Governor Jared Polis. 

“I’ve enjoyed working with Jacki and will miss her. Jacki is one of the greatest legal minds that I’ve had the pleasure to work with and Coloradans are forever grateful for her service, leadership, and commitment to our state during these unprecedented times,” said Governor Polis. “Jacki’s forward-minded legal approach and public service has spanned over two administrations and we know there is more work to do to ensure there is more justice in our legal system.”

Jacki Cooper Melmed previously served as Chief Legal Counsel to Governor Polis and former Governor John Hickenlooper.

Kara serves on the board of directors for Colorado Legal Services and formerly served as the chair of both Beyond Our Borders and the Women's Bean Project.

Her list of honors includes the Windsor Leadership Programme, the City and County of Denver Monte Pasco Civic Leadership Award, Denver Business Journal's 40 Under 40 and the Colorado Bar Association's Young Lawyer of the Year. She previously served as president of the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and president of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado. 

Kara holds a Master of Business Administration, a Juris Doctorate, and a Bachelor of Arts, all from the University of Colorado.