Dr. Shepard's research interests include the prevention and early intervention of externalizing behavior problems in young children, the dissemination of evidence-based practices in community settings, and program evaluation. She has an ongoing study of parent engagement in preventive parenting interventions and is a co-investigator on program evaluations of efforts to embed mental health services in primary care and early care and education settings as well as on the dissemination of evidence-based nurse home visiting programs.