Dr. Jessica Shepherd’s upbringing emphasized education, which led her to become a doctor and chief medical officer.

Dr. Shepherd, who brought her expertise to the AFROTECH™ Conference on Thursday, Oct. 30, admits she was intentional at an early age in planning for her future. Her path to being of service to others in health and wellness became clearer through her years of schooling, which started at the University of Oklahoma for her undergraduate studies. She brought that focus to Ross University School of Medicine (Doctor of Medicine), and then completed her OB/GYN residency at Drexell University College of Medicine, according to information shared on her LinkedIn.

Today, she is the founder of Sanctum Med + Wellness, a concierge wellness concept founded in 2020 and based in Dallas. Additionally, since October 2024, Shepherd has served as chief medical officer of Hers, a telehealth platform that addresses hair loss, weight loss, perimenopause, menopause, midlife issues for women, contraception, mental health, and skincare.

According to the Hers website, after completing an intake form, patients receive free consultations from licensed providers in all 50 states and Washington, DC. These providers can offer affordable treatment plans tailored to individual needs and prescribe treatments that can be shipped. Insurance is not required for the platform.

“As chief medical officer of Hers, one thing that we strive for is to really change the scope of what we see in traditional health care,” Shepherd explained. “And with that being said, one of the main tenets of that is how do we allow everyone to access health care? How do we allow everyone to access health care in a way that represents their life, whether that’s with convenience, flexibility, whether that’s with cost, whether that’s with not having barriers to actually getting the care that’s needed. So that really is redefining what we have known for decades about health care.”

Hers has more than 500,000 users, according to information shared with AFROTECH™. It is reportedly on track to surpass $1 billion in revenue by 2026, a press release notes.

“It really is a rich network of what we’re able to offer as far as services and products. And that’s why we’re able to be so profound with that number of subscribers, because we have so many verticals. But we also have really decreased the barriers to access to health care,” she explained.

During a fireside chat at AFROTECH™ Conference, called “Health at Scale with the Chief Medical Officer of Hers,” Shepherd shared her commitment to using her position to benefit others.

“I think it’s very important for me, as a woman, as a physician, as a Black female, to really lend my expertise, my platform, my experiences, personal and professional, to so many people who are here, but also for me to learn from a technological standpoint, innovation standpoint,” she acknowledged. “I think that’s really where medicine is profound in what we’re able to aspire to as far as health care. And so this is a perfect opportunity to learn more in that field.”

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