About Dr. Amy Acton - Her Story | Amy Acton for Ohio Governor

Amy as a child in Youngstown - already showing the determination that would carry her through life's challenges

A Childhood That Shaped Everything

Amy's story starts in Youngstown, Ohio, in a family that was falling apart. By the time she was 12, she had moved 18 times. Sometimes there was a roof over her head, sometimes there wasn't.

"I remember being so hungry that I would eat toothpaste because it was minty and made my stomach feel less empty," Amy recalls. "I remember adults looking right through me, like I was invisible. When you're a kid and you're poor, people assume you don't matter."

Her mom struggled with mental illness and addiction. Her dad wasn't around much. Amy learned early that if she wanted something—food, a place to sleep, a chance at a better life—she'd have to fight for it herself.

What kept her going wasn't some grand dream of becoming a doctor or politician. It was simpler than that: she wanted to survive. And she wanted to make sure other kids wouldn't have to feel as invisible as she did.

School Became Her Lifeline

When everything else was chaos, school was the one place Amy felt safe. Teachers saw something in her that others missed—potential.

"Mrs. Rodriguez, my third-grade teacher, used to slip me granola bars," Amy remembers. "She never made a big deal about it, never made me feel like charity. She just cared."

Free breakfast and lunch programs literally kept Amy alive. When she talks about public education now, it's not abstract policy—it's personal. Those programs saved her life.

Amy threw herself into her studies because school was her escape. While other kids her age were worried about normal teenage things, Amy was working part-time jobs and studying by streetlight when the electricity got cut off.

She graduated valedictorian of her high school class—not because she was naturally brilliant, but because she was determined. "I knew education was my only shot at a different life," she says.

High school graduation - the first person in her family to graduate

Medical school at Case Western - working multiple jobs to pay her way through

Becoming a Doctor the Hard Way

Amy worked her way through college and medical school, taking on debt and working multiple jobs. She chose medicine because she wanted to help people who felt as invisible as she once did.

"I wanted to be the kind of doctor who actually listens," Amy explains. "When you've been poor, when you've been looked down on, you understand what it feels like when someone in authority doesn't take you seriously."

She specialized in public health because she understood that keeping people healthy wasn't just about treating them when they got sick—it was about addressing the conditions that made them sick in the first place.

After medical school, Amy could have gone anywhere, made a lot of money in private practice. Instead, she chose to work with underserved communities, with kids who reminded her of herself.

"I never forgot where I came from," she says. "And I never will."

Building Her Own Family

Amy met her husband Nathan in medical school. Together, they built the stable, loving family she never had growing up.

"Nathan was the first person who really saw me," Amy says. "Not where I came from, not what I lacked, but who I was and who I could become."

They have three children together, and Amy says being a mom has made her an even fiercer advocate for families. "Every parent wants their kids to have opportunities, to feel safe, to know they matter. That's not too much to ask."

When Amy talks about fighting for Ohio families, she's not just talking about policy—she's talking about her own kitchen table conversations, her own worries about her kids' future.

"My kids know their mom's story," she says. "They know that where you start doesn't determine where you finish. But they also know that not every kid gets the same chances, and that's not okay."

Amy with her husband Nathan and their three children

Leading Ohio through the COVID-19 pandemic - making tough decisions based on science, not politics

When Ohio Needed Her Most

When COVID-19 hit Ohio, Amy was the state's health director. She had to make life-and-death decisions while politicians worried about their poll numbers.

"People were dying," Amy says simply. "I wasn't going to let politics get in the way of saving lives."

She recommended closing schools and businesses when it was unpopular. She stood by the science when people wanted easy answers. And when protesters showed up at her house, screaming at her family, she didn't back down.

"My kids were scared," she admits. "But I told them we do what's right, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard."

Amy's leadership during COVID saved thousands of lives. But the personal cost was enormous. She eventually stepped down from her position, but not before proving she could lead in a crisis.

"I learned that leadership isn't about being popular," she reflects. "It's about making the hard choices so families can sleep better at night."

Why Run for Governor?

"I'm running because I'm tired of politicians who've never missed a meal making decisions about food assistance. I'm tired of people who've never worried about losing their home making housing policy. I'm tired of leaders who don't understand what it's like to be afraid."

Amy isn't running for governor because it's her turn or because she wants the title. She's running because she's watched too many families struggle while politicians play games.

"I know what it's like to be poor in Ohio," she says. "I know what it's like to be scared and hungry and feel like nobody cares. And I know what it's like to fight your way out of that. But not everyone gets that chance, and that's not okay."

She's running because she believes Ohio can do better. Because she knows that when leaders actually understand the problems, they can find real solutions.

"I'm not running to be a politician," Amy says. "I'm running to be a problem solver. And Ohio has a lot of problems that need solving."

What Amy Stands For

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Resilience

Amy knows that getting knocked down isn't the problem—not getting back up is. She's been knocked down plenty of times, and she always gets back up fighting.

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Compassion

Having been on the receiving end of both kindness and cruelty, Amy understands the power of treating people with dignity, especially when they're struggling.

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Focus

Amy doesn't get distracted by political theater. She focuses on what actually matters: making life better for Ohio families.

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Determination

When Amy sets her mind to something, she doesn't give up. She didn't give up on herself, and she won't give up on Ohio.

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Family First

Every decision Amy makes, she thinks about how it affects families. Because at the end of the day, that's what politics should be about.

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Fairness

Amy believes everyone deserves a fair shot at a good life. Not handouts, but opportunities to succeed through hard work.

Ready to Join Amy's Fight?

Amy's story is proof that where you start doesn't determine where you finish. But she knows she can't change Ohio alone. She needs people who believe in second chances, who understand that every family deserves a fair shot.

Volunteer for Amy See Her Platform

This campaign is powered by people like you—people who believe Ohio can do better.

From Youngstown to the Governor's Mansion