Dr. Amy Acton is the former director of the Ohio Department of Health and a physician with public health expertise. She grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, under difficult circumstances and is the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor in 2026. She would be the first woman elected governor of Ohio if she wins. Acton served alongside Republican Governor Mike DeWine during the COVID-19 pandemic, earning national attention for Ohio's early response. She resigned from her official position as health director in June 2020 due to disagreements with Republican legislators over pandemic restrictions, and later left her position as chief health advisor to DeWine in August 2020.
Dr. Amy Acton grew up in Youngstown, Ohio, under difficult circumstances. She is a physician and public health expert who was appointed as Ohio Department of Health director by Governor Mike DeWine in February 2019, becoming the first woman to hold the post. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, she gained national attention for her role in Ohio's response, appearing alongside DeWine in daily coronavirus briefings. The New York Times called her 'The Leader We Wish We All Had.' After resigning from her official position in June 2020 due to legislative disagreement, she served briefly as chief health advisor before leaving state government in August 2020. She resumed working for the Columbus Foundation and remained active in public health until announcing her gubernatorial candidacy in January 2025 at the Democratic National Convention. In 2025, she raised over $5.3 million for her campaign, with about $3 million in cash raised by the end of the year.