Stephani Shepherd

Share your military spouse story:
I met my husband, Victor, in 2002 while we were undergraduates. Years later, thanks to Facebook, we reconnected and began dating in 2011 while he was deployed overseas. In 2013, I left my job, rented out my home, and moved to Augusta, GA to be with him. As planned, we married just 7 days after my move. While in Augusta, I worked for a nonprofit until we learned we were pregnant. The initial plan was for me to stay behind while Victor completed a one-year assignment at Ft. Leavenworth, but solo-parenting as a first-time mom was not practical for me. So I quit my job, and 7 days after giving birth, we made the drive from Georgia to Kansas. A year later, we PCS’d to Germany, and I ended up on a five-year journey as an unemployed stay-at-home mom, despite my desire for a career. That season ultimately led me to entrepreneurship, and it's been a surprising, yet incredible shift in my story! Becoming a military spouse has been a true God-led journey for me, and I am forever grateful.

Describe any leadership positions or provide an overview of your leadership contributions within the military community.
My very first leadership position in the military community was as the Program Coordinator for the Moms of Preschoolers (MOPS) group at USAG Stuttgart. In this role, I focused on creating a space where moms felt supported and cared for. Since May of 2025, I have been serving as the Chapter Lead for the DC chapter of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs, where I support military spouses pursuing entrepreneurship through connection, education, and community-building. Since June of 2025, I have served on the Governing Board for the Army Spouses' Club of the Greater Washington Area as the Membership Chair. In this role, I support the organization through managing the membership process, and I am responsible for producing the chapter’s printed membership directory.

What programs or projects are you currently involved in that support the needs of military families?
In my role as the Chapter Lead for the DC chapter of the Association of Military Spouse Entrepreneurs (AMSE), I serve as a connector, creating opportunities for military spouse entrepreneurs in the DMV to connect, learn, and grow together. I am responsible for planning monthly events to provide a space for military spouse entrepreneurs to network, share resources, learn new skills, share their expertise, and build their local community while growing their businesses. As an entrepreneur myself, I saw a need for a chapter lead in my area and was happy to take on this role. Military spouse entrepreneurs are such a unique subset of the population. The challenges we face and the way we do business are not the same as those of a traditional entrepreneur. Through AMSE, we are able to be seen and helped in a way that directly applies to us. I feel honored to be part of this organization and am grateful for the opportunity to serve the community of military spouses in this way.

What moments best reflect your impact on building inclusive community among military spouses?
During my time as the Co-Coordinator for MOPS at USAG Stuttgart, I created space for every mom to feel seen and included. I introduced a segment called “Mighty Mama Moment,” inviting any member to share something helpful with the group. This segment became a group favorite because it shifted the spotlight from the just leadership and allowed other moms to shine as well. I loved hearing from quieter moms who thanked me for encouraging them to speak and creating a safe space for them. Beyond my leadership roles, I have always been intentional about not being a gatekeeper. As military spouses, we all need genuine connections without judgment or division based on our spouses’ rank or other factors. I keep this in mind and bring others into the circle whenever I can. If being married to a servicemember is the thread that connects us all, I never want to be the person who unravels the community. Both quietly and in public, I lead in a way that lets others know they're welcome.

Identify your main advocacy effort and describe your personal connection to the cause.
My advocacy efforts are two-fold. The first is aimed at empowering military spouses to reclaim their individual dreams and goals, while navigating life as a milspouse. I’ve personally experienced unwillingly putting my dreams on the back burner and slowly losing who I was as an individual, because of milspouse life. I am to help others avoid what I experienced or recover from their similar experiences. The second is aimed at empowering military spouse moms to make time for themselves. Through my MOMentarily Gone movement, I create intentional breaks for moms to rest and reset. This movement began as a result of my getting very few breaks while my husband was away for a 1 year assignment in the summer of 2023 through the summer of 2024. I have welcomed milspouse moms into this movement as well. I aim to help milspouse moms see breaks as essential rather than indulgent. Essentially, I advocate for military spouses to thrive by pursuing purpose and prioritizing their well-being.

Summarize your advocacy outreach strategies, including any events, media involvement, or other communication efforts.
Since 2021, I have been a speaker, panelist, & workshop leader at numerous events, sharing my expertise on topics such as pursuing purpose, business strategies, and embracing individuality as a mom. Through my social media account (@greatlifeisamust) and blog (www.greatlifeisamust.com), I share about these topics and more. I was previously a monthly contributor to the Maggie and the Moms segment on WFLA in Tampa, FL. I have hosted/co-hosted numerous events and meetups benefiting women. In Jan 2026, I hosted the first MOMentarily Gone Staycation, bringing moms together to enjoy an intentional break from their duties. Leading up to that event, I was invited by Good Morning Washington (WJLA) to record a live segment sharing about the MOMentarily Gone movement. I'm always seeking ways to increase my visibility and spread this work further, so more women, particularly military spouses and moms, feel empowered to rest without guilt & build lives that honor who they are beyond their roles.

What do you hope to accomplish with the AFI Military Spouse of the Year^® title?
I was recently a panelist at an event and one of my co-panelists, a male veteran, later approached me, with a concerned look and asked, “Are they all like you?” I was caught off guard. After probing, he said he didn't know military spouses "like me" existed. I learned that he was referring to the fact that I'm an ambitious spouse with dreams and needs that I don't ignore because I am a military spouse. Instead, I view being a military spouse as the fuel to pursue my dreams and needs. As AFI MSOY, I want to lead the milspouse community in defying the stereotype and seeing the milspouse title as a motivator, not the dream-stunting barrier that it has been viewed as in the past. Military spouses were once expected to quietly serve behind their spouses, ignoring their individuality. I'm committed to being part of the movement to champion all spouses to boldly go after whatever they want and not feel as though they have to put their lives on complete hold until their spouse retires.