Mary Shepard

Mary Shepard is an educator and systems designer with five years of experience in education. Prior to entering the field, she ran an independent art business creating murals, paintings, and graphic design. Motivated by her own children's struggles with IEPs and 504s in traditional schooling, she pursued a career in education to better understand and address systemic gaps. She earned a teaching certification in early childhood through sixth grade core subjects, special education, and the science of teaching reading, and became a registered behavioral technician performing ABA therapy. She is completing a bachelor's degree in early childhood education after earlier studies in architecture, mechanical engineering, brass, and journalism. Currently, Mary provides in-home tutoring, assessing students on Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and designing personalized, gamified lessons based on their passions and knowledge gaps. She is transitioning this work into a pod-based micro-school model with smaller groups to foster one-on-one interaction, socialization, and passion projects. As a member of the National Association for Child Education and a local network of teachers, she advocates for neurodivergent learners and emphasizes the importance of diversifying skills across industries.