Jayne Shepherd (kept my maiden name before if became popular)

Forty years, oh my!  After a wonderful senior year living with Mary Crothers’ family, I moved back to Virginia where my father was transferred after my sophomore year.  I attended Mary Washington College for a year and transferred to the University of Virginia where I pursued my degree in Special Education while working at the Children’s Rehabilitation Center.  In Charlottesville, I fell in love with the university, the profession, the Blue Ridge Mountains and rivers, and my husband of 33 years, Fred Tanner. I taught children with moderate intellectual disabilities in Charlottesville and as more children with physical disabilities entered my classroom (P.L. 94.142), I wanted to know how to help them more.  Off to school. 

Fred and I moved to Richmond while I pursued a master’s degree in occupational therapy (OT) at Virginia Commonwealth University.  After working as an OT in pediatrics, rehab, acute care, and psychiatry, I was tapped to teach at the university.  Unbelievably, 26 years later, we are still in hot Richmond. Fred works as an RN at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, and I continue to teach in the occupational therapy program.   I love the energy, challenge, mutual learning, and stimulation of collaborating with others.  As the demands increase, the pay decreases, and students want more 24/7 access to my life, retirement sounds great…maybe in 5 years.

After ongoing health issues, we adopted our two sons, Cory at 9 months old, and Nathan at 5 weeks old.  Parenthood has been fun, exhilarating, challenging, and an eye opener to your own weaknesses.  I know more about sports, music, community happenings, and racial biases than I ever thought possible.  Both adult boys are living in the Richmond area and we continue to hope they will be fully launched soon.  

I love to volunteer (but have not done as much of this as I would like), hike, kayak, swim, take pictures, scrapbook, read, paint or do craft projects.   Periodically, I become a gym rat…but not near enough.  Our other “child”, Carlee, a mixed lab, border collie, and greyhound gives me a lift at the end of the day with her wagging tail, unconditional love and excitement to go for a walk or a swim. 

Yes, I now have gray blond hair from my early elementary school days and somewhat of a southern accent.

Can’t wait to see y’all!