You know her as the calming face during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
And while Dr. Amy Acton is no longer the Director of the Ohio Department of Health, she is still committed to the fight against the coronavirus.
"I will not rest, I will strategize and work every way I can to support all of the people you are seeing and I think they're doing a great job," Acton said.
Acton now leads Kind Columbus at The Columbus Foundation. It's an initiative to build up the community through unconditional acts of kindness. Something Acton said can help us get through the pandemic.
"I think all of us are becoming, if we're not already aware that we are at a critical juncture with the virus. You know I've known for a while, it's a long haul, we've been through nine months and I think the next few weeks are probably going to be some of the hardest we've seen," Acton said.
It was Acton who back in late March warned us that if we didn't follow the safety protocols, we'd see the surge we're seeing now.
"I've always said we're at war with a common enemy," Acton said. "I think it's unfortunate and not unexpected that in time like this we might lose sight of the fact and I think with what our hospitals are facing, none of us will be unaffected by this. Every one of us will know someone who is going through it, dealing with COVID."
But she said what happens next is up to all of us.
"I find myself lately, and my fridge is right here, it's covered in artwork from kids during the pandemic. And every day I make my coffee and I look at this artwork and I get back to work on the pandemic. And how we can get as many of us through this as possible," she said.
Showing kindness, she said goes a long way.
Acton is encouraging people to get involved with Gifts of Kindness.
"This is a really easy way to help your neighbor and we have giving Tuesday coming up which is December first and we had an incredible donor, anonymously give $2.5 million to match gives and gifts can be as small as $20, " Acton said.
And while Acton has a new mission, one of kindness, she is still only a phone call away from helping the governor. She said she still talks to him about the pandemic, and she believes the team now is doing a good job.
And on this Thanksgivings, she has this message as we continue to struggle with wearing masks and socially distancing.
"I know this is going to be a painful time for us, but we are going to see things we never thought we would see in this country, in our neighborhoods for our loved ones. And it's going to be hard," Acton said. "But I have a feeling that while we are distant physically, we might find ourselves closer than ever. "