Coach Sheppard was born in Kirbyville, Texas. Coach Sheppard was an honor graduate from Buna High School in 1975, where she played basketball all 4 years. Upon graduation, she attended Lamar University where she got her degree in Physical Education and Sociology. While at Lamar she participated on the girl's basketball team for 3 years and ran track for one year. After graduation, she began her teaching career in Jasper, Texas, where she taught 7th-grade science for a year. In 1980 Coach Sheppard began her coaching career at the high school in Kirbyville, Texas, where she coached volleyball, girl's basketball, and girl's track for 4 years. After an eight-year period of staying home to start her family, she returned to teaching/coaching in Buna, Texas. Coach Sheppard taught and coached at Buna High School for 13 years before coming to New Caney. Coach Sheppard is beginning her 18th year at New Caney.