COLUMBUS, Ohio — Amy Acton, the former Ohio Department of Health director who led the state’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be among one of seven to receive a Profile in Courage Award for serving the community during the pandemic.
The awards for those who battled the coronavirus are in addition to the annual political Profile in Courage Award, which the JFK Foundation will hand to Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, for 2021.
“Today’s honorees put their own lives at risk to keep others safe. They inspire us all with their courage and give new meaning to President Kennedy’s legacy of public service,” said Caroline Kennedy, honorary president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation.
Acton will receive the award in a virtual ceremony on May 26.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, market owner Burnell Cotlon, fire department captain Fred Freeman, Amazon associate Antonio Greene, ICU nurse Lauren Leander and Native American academic adviser Darrell R. Marks will also be honored.
“Before COVID-19 had claimed the lives of more than a handful of Americans, Dr. Amy Acton, the first woman physician appointed to Ohio’s top public health position, boldly proposed an aggressive shelter-in-place order to slow the spread of COVID-19,” the JFK Library Foundation said in a statement. “Her leadership put Ohio ahead of most other states in responding to the virus, but she became the target of protestors and legislators, who sought to limit her power and even engaged in personal attacks against her.”
Although she received praise from Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, GOP members of the Ohio legislature tried to diminish Acton’s authority as the state-issued stay-at-home orders during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Amid ongoing protests at her Bexley residence, Acton resigned and became an adviser to DeWine.
She stepped away from state government last August.
Acton also considered a run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Rob Portman. Last month, Acton announced she will not be a candidate for the seat.
