Amy Acton

Amy Acton (born Amy Leigh Stearns; 1965/1966) is an American physician and public-health researcher who served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019–2020. She became known for her leading role in Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amy Acton
Director of the Ohio Department of Health
In office
February 26, 2019 – June 11, 2020
GovernorMike DeWine
Preceded byLance Himes
Succeeded byLance Himes (interim)
Personal details
Born
Amy Leigh Stearns

1965/1966 (age 54–55)[1]
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic[2]
EducationYoungstown State University (BS)
Northeast Ohio Medical University (MD)
Ohio State University (MPH)

Early life and education

Acton was born Amy Stearns and raised on the north side of Youngstown, Ohio, living "in 18 different places in a 12-year period, including in a tent when she was homeless."[3][4] She described in a 2020 interview with Youngstown's WKBN having random neighbors give her and her brother breakfast "because they knew we were hungry" and also "people looking the other way, not wanting their kids to play with me because we were dirty and smelly."[4] She described in a 2019 interview being neglected and abused while she lived with her mother following her parents' divorce.[5] By 7th grade she was living with her father in a more stable environment, and at Liberty High School was a member of the National Honor Society and Homecoming queen.[5][6]

She attended Youngstown State University and earned a medical degree from Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine in 1990,[7] working to pay her way through college.[6] She completed her residency in pediatrics and preventive medicine.[8] She earned a master's in public health from Ohio State University.[3] She completed her residencies at Albert Einstein College of Medicine[7] and at Nationwide Children's Hospital.[3]

Career

Acton taught at Ohio State University as an associate professor of public health.[3] She worked at the Columbus Foundation as a grants manager.[9] She was director of Project LOVE (Love Our kids, Vaccinate Early).[10]

In 2008, while known as Amy Beech, she served as a volunteer for Barack Obama's presidential campaign by creating an email group on my.BarackObama.com called "Bexley, Yes We Can!" and publicized campaign events using Facebook.[11]

In February 2019, Ohio governor Mike DeWine made her his final cabinet pick as director of the Department of Health.[3][12] The search process was lengthy, as DeWine had been determined to have the right person in charge in a crisis.[10] Acton was the first woman in the post.[7][13][14] The two previous incumbents were a lawyer and a marketing director; DeWine mentioned wanting to "rethink how we approach this department".[15]

Coronavirus pandemic in Ohio
Sign in support of Acton
Anti-stay at home protester outside Acton's home

In 2020, prior to and during the coronavirus 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, despite the fact that Ohio, at the time, had only three confirmed cases. Ohio was also the first state to temporarily close down bars and restaurants, when Ohio had fewer than 40 confirmed cases.[16][17][18][19] Acton soon after estimated that Ohio's then 5 confirmed cases likely translated to 100,000 actual cases, making national news.[20][21] In mid-March, she predicted cases could peak in late April to mid-May.[16]

On March 12, she predicted of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic that "This will be the thing this generation remembers."[20][22][23] Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes called her "the real MVP of Ohio’s coronavirus response."[3] The Dayton Daily News called her "Ohio's trusted face during the pandemic."[10]

Acton was an advocate of postponing the 2020 Ohio Democratic presidential primary, which was slated for March 17, 2020. The day before the scheduled election, Governor DeWine declared it canceled, only for a judge to rule that he did not have the authority to do so. Acton then ordered polling places closed due a public health emergency.[24] It was later determined that the election would be conducted entirely by mail-in absentee ballot for those who had not participated in early voting.[25] In April 2020, CNN called her "the Buckeye state's version of the straight-talking Dr. Anthony Fauci".[4]

On April 1, Governor DeWine was reported as "quick to defer to Dr. Acton for specific questions on the virus and its spread" during daily news briefings, "reminding Ohioans that the state's decisions are driven by science."[26]

In May 2020, a group of 35 gyms sued the Ohio Department of Health, Acton, and the Lake County General Health District, over coronavirus-related health restrictions, and Lake County Court of Common Pleas Judge Eugene Lucci issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state from "imposing or enforcing penalties solely for non-compliance with the director's order" against gyms and fitness centers, "so long as they operate in compliance with all applicable safety regulations."[27] The state is appealing; the plaintiffs are continuing to press the case despite DeWine's plans for the reopening of gyms.[27]

Beginning in May 2020, protesters began showing up at Acton's home in Columbus[28] and at press conferences. Acton was assigned a security detail.[29][30] Criticism focused on her policies, but also included her politics[29][30] and her being Jewish.[31]

On May 20, 2020, the Ohio Senate unanimously voted against a proposal advanced by state House Republicans (and approved by the House on a nearly party-line vote) that would have limited the power of DeWine and Acton by restricting Ohio Department of Health orders to 14 days and requiring any extensions to be approved by a state joint legislative committee.[32]

On June 11, 2020, she resigned from her position and became a chief health advisor for DeWine's administration.[27][33] After Republican state legislators in Ohio introduced bills intended to affect her ability to address the pandemic, she became worried about being asked to sign a health order that would violate her Hippocratic Oath.[30] She resigned in June 2020.[30] She was succeeded by Lance Himes as interim director.[33] In early August 2020 she announced she had left her position as advisor to the administration.[34]

After her resignation, she resumed working for the Columbus Foundation.[35] On February 4, 2021 Acton stepped down from her position in the Columbus Foundation as she considered a run for the Senate in 2022 to succeed Rob Portman.[36]

Personal life

In 2010, Acton married Eric Acton, a middle-school teacher and track coach.[5][9][7] The couple live in Bexley and have between them six children.[3][9] She is Jewish.[37]

She was previously married to Douglas Beech, with whom she had three children.[38]

See also

References
  1. Ludlow, Randy (26 February 2019). "Physician Amy Acton will lead Ohio Department of Health". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  2. Choi, Joseph (January 26, 2021). "Former Ohio State Health Director Reportedly Considering Senate Bid". The Hill. Retrieved January 26, 2021.
  3. Gordon, Ken. "Amy Acton is calming leader in coronavirus crisis". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  4. Ellis, Ralph (10 April 2020). "Dr. Amy Acton, the Ohio Department of Health director, overcame a childhood in poverty to lead the state's battle against coronavirus". CNN. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  5. Miller, Jessica (20 March 2020). "Who is Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton?". WKYC. Retrieved 2020-03-25.
  6. "Dr. Acton says she's an 'ordinary person in an extraordinary moment'". NBC4 WCMH-TV. 2020-04-09. Retrieved 2020-04-16.
  7. "Amy Stearns Acton to lead Ohio Dept. of Health | The Pulse | Northeast Ohio Medical University". thepulse.neomed.edu. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  8. Schroeder, Kaitlin; Laura A. Bischoff, Staff Writer. "Coronavirus: Who is Dr. Amy Acton, leader of Ohio's pandemic response?". daytondailynews. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  9. Bischoff, Laura A. "Once homeless, doctor now to lead Ohio Health Department". daytondailynews. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  10. Schroeder, Kaitlin; Bischoff, Laura A. (16 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Who is Dr. Amy Acton, leader of Ohio's pandemic response?". daytondailynews. Retrieved 2020-03-17.
  11. Stirland, Sarah Lai (2008-03-03). "Inside Obama's Surging Net-Roots Campaign". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-04-30.
  12. "The US governor who saw it coming early". BBC News. 2020-04-01. Retrieved 2020-04-12.
  13. Kasler, Karen. "First Woman Appointed To Lead Ohio Department Of Health". Ohio Public Radio. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  14. "DeWine Appoints First Female ODH Director". www.wcbe.org. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  15. "Once Homeless, Doctor Will Now Lead Ohio Health Department". www.governing.com. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  16. Conradis, Brandon (2020-03-15). "Illinois, Ohio closing all bars, restaurants in response to coronavirus". TheHill. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  17. "37 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ohio; 361 under investigation". WBNS-10TV Columbus, Ohio | Columbus News, Weather & Sports. 2020-03-15. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  18. "Coronavirus: Governor orders Ohio bars, restaurants to shut down". The Columbus Dispatch. March 15, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2020.
  19. Tobias, Andrew (15 March 2020). "Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to expand unemployment to cover workers displaced by coronavirus". cleveland.com. Cleveland OH: AdvanceOhio.
  20. Byrnes, Jesse (2020-03-12). "Ohio health official estimates 100,000 people in state have coronavirus". The Hill. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  21. Ross, Chuck (2020-03-14). "Ohio Governor's Alarming Claim About the Number of Coronavirus Cases Was Based on a 'Guesstimate'". The Minnesota Sun. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
  22. "100k estimated to have virus in US state". Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  23. Horn, Dan. "'It doesn't seem real': What happens when coronavirus puts the world on lockdown". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  24. "Coronavirus: Health director orders polls closed for primary election, citing emergency". WHIO-TV. March 17, 2020. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  25. Goulding, Gage (April 5, 2020). "Ohio residents will cast their vote in the primary election with an absentee ballot". WTOV-TV. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  26. "The US governor who saw it coming early". BBC News. April 1, 2020. Archived from the original on April 1, 2020.
  27. Andrew Cass, Ohio officials appealing grant of preliminary injunction in gym lawsuit, The News-Herald (July 6, 2020).
  28. "Small group of protesters gather in Dr. Amy Acton's neighborhood". WEWS. 2020-05-03. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  29. Balmert, Jackie Borchardt and Jessie. "First came the pandemic, then came the politics: Why Amy Acton quit". The Enquirer. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  30. Williams, Paige. ""Bring Hearts and Souls Back": Ohio's Former Top Public-Health Official on How America Can Avoid Dual Cataclysms". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  31. "ADL Cleveland condemns use of antisemitic slur". Twitter. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  32. Anna Staver, Ohio Senate unanimously votes down House proposal to slash Dr. Amy Acton's authority, Columbus Dispatch (May 20, 2020).
  33. "Amy Acton, Ohio's embattled health director, resigns amid COVID-19 crisis". ABC News. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
  34. Evans, Paige Pfleger, Nick. "Coronavirus In Ohio: Amy Acton Resigns As Governor's Chief Health Advisor". radio.wosu.org. Retrieved 2020-08-06.
  35. "Dr. Amy Acton breaks her silence about stepping down as Ohio's health director". NBC4 WCMH-TV. 2020-11-04. Retrieved 2020-11-05.
  36. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/04/amy-acton-steps-down-columbus-foundation-senate-run/4387971001/
  37. Kaufman, Jane (10 April 2020). "Dr. Amy Acton says virtual seder was 'healing' in a time of COVID-19". Cleveland Jewish News. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  38. "Inside Obama's Surging Net-Roots Campaign". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2020-03-23.
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