Stephanie Shepard grew up in Sacramento, California, the youngest of seven children. In 2005 Stephanie moved from California to New York to pursue her dream of becoming a real estate agent. In 2010 Stephanie was convicted of conspiracy to distribute 1000+ kilos of marijuana. As a first-time, non-violent offender, Stephanie was sentenced to 10 years in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for essentially serving as a caretaker to an individual involved in the conspiracy.  Stephanie was released in 2019 and is now a Development Associate for Last Prisoner Project advocating for restorative justice for those who have suffered as she has from the criminalization of cannabis.