MEET DR. AMY ACTON

Dr. Amy Acton grew up in Youngstown, Ohio under difficult circumstances. But Amy fought through it all – and now, Amy is running for governor to fight for every Ohio family that’s struggling today.

After putting herself through medical school, Amy did a residency at Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University where she trained in pediatrics and preventive medicine and created the first ever residency rotation in child advocacy.

As the Director of Project L.O.V.E ., she managed public private partnerships between Columbus area hospitals and key community stakeholders to keep our children healthy. Amy then joined the faculty at Ohio State University where she became an award-winning professor of maternal and child health and global public health.

Amy eventually joined the Columbus Foundation where she worked to improve the community health and well being, particularly in the area of women’s health and youth homelessness.

In 2019, Governor DeWine asked Amy to serve in his administration as the Director of the Ohio Department of Public Health. Amy put partisanship aside to serve the people of Ohio because she’s always believed that the challenges we face don’t care if you’re a Democrat or Republican, and the solutions we need take everyone rowing together.

Amy worked with Governor DeWine and local officials in all 88 counties on the OneOhio plan to ensure the millions that Ohio received from a huge opioid settlement recognized that every corner of the state has been hit hard by the crisis. It focused funding on programs that address prevention, treatment and long-term recovery; criminal justice; and public awareness costs that promote the overall health and well-being of Ohioans.

Amy’s widely acclaimed leadership and inspiring guidance were experienced in daily news conferences as COVID exploded in the spring of 2020, earning her a Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2021. In 2022, Amy was named the Ohio Woman of the Year by USA Today.

Following her service in the DeWine administration, Amy returned to the Columbus Foundation and helped found the Center for Human Kindness whose mission is to inspire acts of kindness and strengthen social connections in our community.

Firmly believing that the best way to improve outcomes is to get people with different viewpoints and from all walks of life around the table, she worked with CEOs, Mayors, and community advocates to launch Rapid 5, a nonprofit organization to connect Franklin County’s trail network with five stream corridors.

Wanting to continue the bond she formed with Ohioans, Amy also partnered with WKYC on a multi-platform series called Health, Hope & Healing–where she spoke to Ohioans about the challenges they face such as food insecurity and loneliness.

Now, Amy’s running for Governor because she refuses to look the other away from Ohioans who are struggling. Amy lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband, Eric, who has coached and taught in Bexley City Schools since 1987. Together they have six kids and enjoy traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with their good friends and growing family.

--