Sheldon Spotted Elk works as the Senior Director of Judicial and National Engagement at Casey Family Programs. He has a background and presents regularly on tribal law, child welfare and the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA). He is currently a judge on the Ute Indian Tribe Court of Appeals (Fort Duchesne, Utah) in a jurisdiction he once represented children in child welfare and juvenile delinquency matters. He has worked as an adjunct professor teaching a law school course on Family Law in Indian Country.

He was recognized as a National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development 40 Under 40 recipient, a prestigious award which recognizes 40 emerging American Indian leaders from across Indian Country. He has published an influential law review article on tribal constitutional reform and has authored articles on the ICWA. Sheldon is a graduate from University of New Mexico School of Law and received the Certificate in Federal Indian Law. And he and his two sons are (Tsistah) members of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe.