Amy Leigh Acton (née Stearns; born 1965 or 1966) is an American physician and public-health researcher who served as the director of the Ohio Department of Health from 2019–2020.

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.

[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.

[8] 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!"

[10] In February 2019, Ohio governor Mike DeWine made her his final cabinet pick as director of the Department of Health.

[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.

"[33] 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.

[34] After Republican state legislators in Ohio introduced bills intended to limit her emergency powers, she became worried about being asked to sign a health order that would violate her Hippocratic Oath.

[39] In 2022, Acton was named as president and chief executive officer of RAPID 5, a nonprofit organization that is attempting to improve access to parks in Franklin County, part of the greater Columbus area.

[42] On January 7, 2025, she announced her candidacy for the 2026 Ohio gubernatorial election after filing paperwork earlier the same day according to a news release from her team.