Shelton joined the Oklahoma Department of Aerospace and Aeronautics in April 2016 as the Aviation Education Coordinator & Government Affairs Liaison. She assumed the responsibilities as the Liaison to Public & Government Affairs a few months later adding the Public Information Officer component. She was named the Director of Government Relations, Industry Development, and Communications in the fall of 2023.She is accountable for marketing, communication, and legislative policy development for the agency. In addition to targeted aviation and aerospace promotion, she directs social, digital, and print media, branding, advertising, and website development. She manages and oversees events, content writing, legislative research and development, policy development, speech writing, presentations, video vignettes, and document layout and design.During her first year at the commission, Shelton assisted in the passage of 7 out of 10 bills taken to the Oklahoma legislature; three of those bills were revenue-raising, and two bills created aviation days in state statute. Since then, she has assisted in elevating the profile of the agency within the legislature and aids the State Director of Aeronautics in passing key aviation legislation. Able to leverage over 28 years of continued education, training, technical expertise, and hands-on private sector and state civil service experience, she provides expertise in communications with a focus on government affairs. Sandra initiated programs such as Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day and Aero Oklahoma.Hired by the state in 1997 as a legislative assistant in the Oklahoma House of Representatives for Representative Ray McCarter, (D) Marlow, her nine-year tenure clerking included working for Representatives Bill Nations, Clay Pope, Wallace Collins, Mike Ervin, and Congressman Dan Boren. Recruited by the Senate Republican leadership in 2004 by then-freshman Senator Don Barrington, she also was the interim legislative assistant to Senators Eddie Fields, Dan Newberry, and Patrick Anderson.A freelance writer, she is a former contributing columnist for Examiner.com. Shelton currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Secretary for the Oklahoma State Senate Historical Preservation Fund, Inc. which administers various art projects at the Oklahoma State legislature at no cost to the public.