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Amy Acton's pro-public education, pro-labor vision for Ohio. Plus, a deeper dive into how OEA members make candidate recommendations.

/ 39:38/S7 E2
***This is a special video and audio episode of this podcast - The full episode video is available at the bottom of these show notes or by clicking here.***

When it comes to public education and workers' rights, there is a clear choice in the race for Ohio's next governor. While Vivek Ramaswamy has repeatedly said he wants to eliminate teachers' unions and has pushed proposals that would slash public school funding to pay for more tax breaks for the wealthy, Dr. Amy Acton is calling for fully funding public schools, protecting collective bargaining rights, and ensuring educators have a seat at the table to help tackle the big issues in our state. In this episode, Dr. Acton joins us for a one-on-one conversation about her plans for Ohio's schools, students, educators, and communities. We also sit down with OEA Director of Government Relations Dan Ramos for a behind-the-scenes look at how OEA members evaluate candidates and make recommendations based on their support for public education and labor issues. If you want to understand what's at stake in this election - and why OEA members enthusiastically recommended Amy Acton for governor - this is an episode you won't want to miss.

ACTON ON THE ISSUES | Click here to visit actonforgovernor.com and learn more about where Amy Acton stands on the big issues in our state. Click here to read OEA's statement on OEA members' decision to support Dr. Acton in the race for Ohio governor. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PRO-PUBLIC EDUCATION, PRO-LABOR CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT | OEA members can click here to check out the list of all the OEA-member recommended candidates running for state and federal office.

READ THE ARTICLE | During our conversation, Dr. Acton mentioned a piece by Mike Curtin that provides an important primer on taxes in Ohio: "Ramaswamy's weary staff hasn't explained property, income taxes to him, so I will"

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | If you'd like to share your thoughts on the Public Education Matters podcast, including your ideas for what you'd like to hear on future episodes, please email educationmatters@ohea.org.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms. Click here for some of those links so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

In this episode:
  • 00:00 Opening Message: Building the Ohio We Deserve
  • 00:31 Welcome to Public Education Matters
  • 02:05 Vivek Ramaswamy in His Own Words 
  • 2:32 Contrasting Visions for Ohio's Public Schools
  • 04:04 Amy Acton on How Public Schools Changed Her Life
  • 06:50 What Ohioans Are Saying About What Their Schools Need
  • 10:18 Funding Public Schools and Addressing Property Taxes
  • 15:50 Fair School Funding and Ohio's Tax Debate
  • 20:36 The Role of Educators' Unions in Ohio's Future
  • 25:24 Ohio Politics, Statehouse Races, and Ending Gerrymandering
  • 26:34 Acton's Closing Call to Action
  • 28:20 How OEA Members Recommend Candidates 
  • 29:02 Dan Ramos on Why This Election Matters 
  • 31:00 Public Education Is Not a Partisan Issue
  • 33:38 Inside OEA's Candidate Screening Process
  • 38:11 Voting Information and Final Reminders
  • 38:42 Closing Thoughts and Season 7 Preview
Featured Public Education Matters guests: 
  • Dr. Amy Acton, OEA Member-Recommended Candidate for Ohio Governor
    • Growing up in Youngstown, in a family who’d worked in the steel mills, Amy Acton faced a difficult childhood. She overcame periods of abuse, hunger, and neglect, and even wound up living in a tent in the middle of winter. That challenging upbringing molded the values and determination that have shaped a career dedicated to lifting others.
    • From working as a waitress to delivering newspapers, Amy worked her way out of poverty and put herself through college and medical school to become a doctor. She experienced firsthand what so many Ohio families face today—working harder than ever and still feeling like they’re falling behind.
    • After medical school, she began a lifelong focus on children’s health. Her first assignment was a pediatrics residency tackling the horrific consequences of the crack cocaine epidemic in children. She then began a residency at Children’s Hospital and Ohio State University, where she trained in pediatrics and preventive medicine. There, she created the first-ever residency rotation in child advocacy and gained a master’s degree in public health.
    • Amy emerged as a community leader for children’s health as the Director of Project L.O.V.E, a partnership between Columbus area hospitals and community stakeholders focused on preventive health for Columbus-area children. She also joined the faculty at Ohio State University, where she became an award-winning professor of maternal and child health and global public health.
    • Amy later joined the Columbus Foundation, where she led on a wide variety of community health issues, from youth homelessness to women’s health.
    • In 2019, Governor DeWine asked Amy to serve in his administration as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health. Amy put partisanship aside to serve the people of Ohio. Amid a wide variety of issues, she worked with Republicans and Democrats throughout the state to hold the big drug companies accountable for the opioid epidemic and shape a historic settlement to fund addiction recovery programs. When the pandemic hit, her steady leadership and voice for common sense not only saved countless lives but also helped Ohio’s economy and schools open earlier than other states. For her leadership, Amy earned a Profile in Courage Award from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation in 2021 and was named Woman of the Year for Ohio by USA Today in 2022.
    • Following her service in the DeWine administration, Amy returned to the Columbus Foundation and helped found the Center for Human Kindness, then worked with CEOs, mayors, and community advocates to launch Rapid 5, a nonprofit to integrate the region’s park system and waterways, while lifting health and economic wellness. She also partnered with WKYC on an award-winning series called Health, Hope & Healing, where she spoke to Ohioans about the challenges they face and the innovative solutions they’re using to move themselves forward.
    • Now, Amy’s running for Governor because she refuses to look away from Ohioans who are struggling while politicians in Columbus cater to billionaires and corporations.
    • Amy lives in Bexley, Ohio with her husband, Eric, a lifelong teacher and coach in Bexley Public Schools. Together they have six kids and enjoy traveling, exploring nature, and spending time with their good friends and growing family.
  • Dan Ramos, OEA Director of Government Relations
    • Dan Ramos is from Lorain, Ohio, where he attended school at St. John the Baptist and Lorain Southview High School.  After graduating high school in 2003, Dan obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, International Affairs and Philosophy from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH in 2007.  Through the 2008 presidential election cycle, he joined the Obama for America campaign, working to help elect President Obama in northeastern Ohio.  In 2009, Dan was hired by the Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU) District 1199 WV/OH/KY.  Initially working with SEIU as an Administrative Organizer, representing and negotiating contracts for SEIU’s state employees’ division, he became SEIU 1199’s Political and Legislative Liaison in late 2010.  In 2011, Dan worked with fellow labor lobbyists and attorneys in the effort to stop Senate Bill 5 while it was in the General Assembly, and then lead SEIU’s efforts field in Central and Northeast Ohio to collect signatures referendum and then defeat SB 5 on the November 2011 ballot.  In 2012, Dan moved to the Ohio Education Association. Dan has served as OEA’s Political Advocacy Consultant, where he was responsible for growing OEA’s member political action and legislative advocacy, increasing OEA’s PAC membership, the Fund for Children and Public Education, and assisting in OEA’s political coalitions, such as LEAD Ohio and the America Votes Coalition. In 2018, Dan Ramos moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he served as a Labor Relations Consultant for the Warren County Leadership Council, representing over 2,400 certified and classified K-12 teachers and ESPs.
    • Dan returned to his political role with OEA in 2021, returning as a UniServ Political Advocacy Consultant and then moving into his current role as the Manager of Government Relations in May of 2022. Now, as the Director of Government Relations, Dan heads up OEA’s efforts to engage the Ohio General Assembly and Members of Congress to advance OEA’s legislative policy priorities, build relationships with Ohio’s elected officials, and engage members in advocacy and accountability programs.  Dan also helps coordinate OEA’s political, coalition, and electoral programs.  
Connect with OEA:
About us:
  • The Ohio Education Association represents approximately 115,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
  • Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award-winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's public school students, including her own two children. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband, children, and cat, Davis, who is very mean, but loved dearly nonetheless.
This episode was recorded on July 29, 2026.
Amy Acton's pro-public education, pro-labor vision for Ohio. Plus, a deeper dive into how OEA members make candidate recommendations.

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