Sarah Shelton Pavements Technical Lead
ADL
Sarah is a Chartered Civil Engineer with over 14 years of expertise in pavement design, geotechnical investigations, and traffic engineering. She leads WGA’s national pavements team and is renowned for her strategic and hands-on approach to deliver complex transport and infrastructure projects across Australia.
Her journey into civil engineering was driven by a strong affinity for mathematics and a desire to work closely with people. This combination set the foundation for a career that has spanned a diverse range of projects across several markets – from mining and defence to government, commercial, and residential developments.
Some of Sarah’s most rewarding experiences have come from stepping outside her comfort zone. Whether it was spending three months in remote Queensland leading an airfield-building project or as the design lead for a major Victorian bid, these challenges have played a pivotal role in accelerating her professional growth and expanding her leadership capabilities.
At WGA, Sarah thrives on the variety of work she’s exposed to. Whether it’s collaborating with clients, developing partnerships or mentoring emerging engineers, she gets to play an active and influential role across the business. Passionate about sustainability, she’s also a strong advocate for reusing materials and embedding environmentally responsible thinking into every aspect of pavement design.
Beyond her project work, Sarah is a passionate advocate for the industry. She contributes through AUSTSTAB, promoting pavement stabilisation initiatives, and through external programmes such as STEM in schools and the Engineers Australia Diversity and Inclusion Committee.