Dr. Amy Acton Biography and Wikipedia
Dr. Amy Acton is a dedicated American physician and researcher who is currently in the race for governor of Ohio. She previously held the position of director at the Ohio Department of Health from 2019 to 2020, where she played a crucial role in managing Ohio’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
During the spring of 2020, she was often seen alongside Governor DeWine at his daily press briefings. Before and right after her time as health director, she was involved with the Columbus Foundation. She decided to step down from her role there to focus on her campaign for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election
Dr. Amy Acton Education
Dr. Amy attended and graduated from Northeastern Ohio University College of Medicine with a medical degree. She completed her internship and residency training in pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. She also completed residency training in preventive medicine at OSU where she earned her master’s degree in public health. As part of her residency training at OSU, Dr. Acton served at ODH from 1995-96 in what was then known as the Division of Family and Community Health.
Dr. Amy Acton Age and Birthday
How old is Dr. Amy? Dr. Acton is 59 years old as of 2026. She was Amy Leigh Acton born in 1966, in Youngstown, Ohio, United States of America. Her birthday is not yet known to the public. READ: Dr. Bonnie Henry
Dr. Amy Acton Parents | Brother
Amy’s parents met at a heater party for YSU and got pregnant surprisingly. Her mom was a craftsman and being pregnant with Amy, her father asked her for marriage and later they separated when Amy was 3. Amy’s Mom after the separation got to care for the children and the family continually moved. Her mother had different men throughout her life while Amy was growing up. At a certain point in her youth, they moved to California and her mom got into a battle with whoever the man was around then. So they went back home.
They were similar to Nebraska. Her mother found a new line of work to gain cash; she met a person; she put her children – ages 8 and 5 – on transport alone back to live with family members. A quarter of a year later, Mother, as well, was home, and the cycle proceeded. At the point when she was between 9-12 one person stuck around for marriage and he had allegations of attack occasions from before. He manhandled Amy and was charged. She was, at last, ready to move in with her dad Jerry. Her dad kicked the bucket a couple of years back. Her sibling lives in Colorado.
Dr. Amy Acton Husband
Dr. Acton married her first husband Douglas Beech but later the couple divorced. She got married to her second husband Eric Acton, a middle-school teacher and track coach in 2010.
Dr. Amy Acton Children
Dr. Acton and her first husband Douglas are proud parents of three children. She also has three children with her second husband Eric. In total, she has six children. RELATED: Shaynah Ferreira
Dr. Amy Acton Salary
Dr. Amy worked as an experienced physician and director of RAPID 5 in Franklin County where she earned an annual salary of $230,000.
Dr. Amy Acton Net Worth
The director of health for the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Acton has an estimated net worth of $500k- $1 million.
Dr. Amy Acton RAPID 5 | New Job
In May 2022, Amy was appointed the director of RAPID 5, a nonprofit group that looks to expand public access to undeveloped areas near Franklin County’s major waterways. RAPID stands for “River And Parks + Imagination + Design,” and the 5 refers to the Big Darby Creek, Scioto River, Olentangy River, Alum Creek and Big Walnut Creek.
Why Dr. Amy Acton Resigned as Ohio Health Director?
She resigned because the Ohio’s Republican lawmakers pushed for legislation to limit her emergency powers, she became worried that she might have to sign a public health order that would go against her Hippocratic Oath.
Consequently, she stepped down as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health on June 11, 2020, and took on a new role as chief health advisor in Governor Mike DeWine’s administration. Acton made it clear that her choice to resign had nothing to do with the protests or the debates surrounding the administration’s stay-at-home orders. Lance Himes took over as interim director after her departure. Then, in early August 2020, Acton revealed that she had also left her advisory role within the administration. RELATED: Phil Wickham
Dr. Amy Acton Ohio Department Of Health
Acton, MD, MPH, was delegated chief of well-being for the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) by Governor Mike DeWine in February 2019. An authorized doctor in preventive medication with a graduate degree in general wellbeing, Dr. Acton has over 30 years of involvement with clinical practice, government and network administration, social insurance arrangement and promotion, scholarly and charitable organizations, counseling, instructing, and information investigation.
Dr. Acton came to ODH from The Columbus Foundation where she filled in as a network researcher and awards the executives official and concentrated on network administration and non-benefit adequacy. Preceding joining The Columbus Foundation, she filled in as right-hand teacher practice at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Public Health. She likewise recently filled in as a visiting personnel educator at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the subordinate teacher at the OSU College of Medicine and Public Health, and executive of Project L.O.V.E. (Love Our Kids, Vaccinate Early) in Columbus.
Gubernatorial Campaign and Later Career
Thanks to her outstanding leadership at the Ohio Department of Health, Acton was honored with the Profile in Courage Award, presented by Caroline Kennedy and Jack Schlossberg. The New York Times even hailed her as “The Leader We Wish We All Had.”
After stepping down, Acton went back to work at the Columbus Foundation. On February 4, 2021, she left that position to consider running for the U.S. Senate in 2022, aiming to take over from Senator Rob Portman. However, by April 2021, she chose not to enter the race, expressing her heartfelt appreciation to Ohioans for their overwhelming support.
In 2022, Acton took on the role of president and CEO of RAPID 5, a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing access to parks and green spaces in Franklin County and the broader Columbus area. She stepped away from that role in May 2023.
During the summer of 2024, Acton made an appearance at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, where she first hinted at her interest in running for governor of Ohio. On January 7, 2025, she officially declared her candidacy for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election, having filed the necessary paperwork earlier that day. Running as a Democrat, Acton emphasizes that she sees herself more as a doctor than a politician, driven by a genuine desire to serve and uplift the lives of people throughout Ohio.
Dr. Amy Acton Facts
- Full Name: Amy Acton
- Age: 59 as of 2026
- Date of Birth: 1966
- Husband: Eric Acton
- Children: 6
- Nationality: American
- Education: The Ohio State University, Liberty High School, Northeast Ohio Medical University
- Height: 5’3″ (1.6 m)
