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Amy Acton
Amy Acton (née Stearns; born 1966) is a physician and researcher who is currently running for governor of Ohio. Acton previously served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020. She led Ohio's COVID-19 pandemic response and accompanied Governor DeWine during his daily afternoon press conferences throughout the spring of 2020. Prior to and immediately after serving as director of the Ohio Department of Health, she worked at the Columbus Foundation. She left her position at the foundation upon announcing her candidacy for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.
Amy Acton grew up in the north side of Youngstown, Ohio. Following her parents' divorce, Acton described experiencing neglect, abuse, and periods of homelessness. By 7th grade, she moved in with her father, found more stability, and at Liberty High School, she joined the National Honor Society.
She earned her bachelor's at Youngstown State University, then paid her way through college and received her medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 1990. She completed residencies in pediatrics and preventive medicine, earned a master's in public health from Ohio State University, and trained at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Acton taught at Ohio State University as an associate professor of practice in the area of public health. She worked at the Columbus Foundation as a grants manager. She was director of Project LOVE (Love Our kids, Vaccinate Early).
Acton was introduced to political organization when she volunteered for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She created a local email group for her hometown of Bexley, Ohio called "Bexley, Yes We Can!" and publicized campaign events using Facebook.
In February 2019, Ohio governor Mike DeWine made her his final cabinet pick as director of the Department of Health. The search process was lengthy, as DeWine had been determined to have the right person in charge in a crisis. Acton was the first woman in the post. The two previous incumbents were a lawyer and a marketing director; DeWine mentioned wanting to "rethink how we approach this department".
In 2020, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acton advised Governor Mike DeWine, who became the first U.S. governor to close schools and limit gatherings to no more than 100 people. Acton soon after estimated that Ohio's then 5 confirmed cases likely translated to 100,000 actual cases, making national news. In mid-March, she predicted cases could peak in late April to mid-May.
On March 12, Acton said of the pandemic, "This will be the thing this generation remembers." Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes called her "the real MVP of Ohio's coronavirus response." The Dayton Daily News called her "Ohio's trusted face during the pandemic."
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Amy Acton
Amy Acton (née Stearns; born 1966) is a physician and researcher who is currently running for governor of Ohio. Acton previously served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020. She led Ohio's COVID-19 pandemic response and accompanied Governor DeWine during his daily afternoon press conferences throughout the spring of 2020. Prior to and immediately after serving as director of the Ohio Department of Health, she worked at the Columbus Foundation. She left her position at the foundation upon announcing her candidacy for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.
Amy Acton grew up in the north side of Youngstown, Ohio. Following her parents' divorce, Acton described experiencing neglect, abuse, and periods of homelessness. By 7th grade, she moved in with her father, found more stability, and at Liberty High School, she joined the National Honor Society.
She earned her bachelor's at Youngstown State University, then paid her way through college and received her medical degree from Northeast Ohio Medical University in 1990. She completed residencies in pediatrics and preventive medicine, earned a master's in public health from Ohio State University, and trained at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Nationwide Children's Hospital.
Acton taught at Ohio State University as an associate professor of practice in the area of public health. She worked at the Columbus Foundation as a grants manager. She was director of Project LOVE (Love Our kids, Vaccinate Early).
Acton was introduced to political organization when she volunteered for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She created a local email group for her hometown of Bexley, Ohio called "Bexley, Yes We Can!" and publicized campaign events using Facebook.
In February 2019, Ohio governor Mike DeWine made her his final cabinet pick as director of the Department of Health. The search process was lengthy, as DeWine had been determined to have the right person in charge in a crisis. Acton was the first woman in the post. The two previous incumbents were a lawyer and a marketing director; DeWine mentioned wanting to "rethink how we approach this department".
In 2020, prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, Acton advised Governor Mike DeWine, who became the first U.S. governor to close schools and limit gatherings to no more than 100 people. Acton soon after estimated that Ohio's then 5 confirmed cases likely translated to 100,000 actual cases, making national news. In mid-March, she predicted cases could peak in late April to mid-May.
On March 12, Acton said of the pandemic, "This will be the thing this generation remembers." Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes called her "the real MVP of Ohio's coronavirus response." The Dayton Daily News called her "Ohio's trusted face during the pandemic."