Research shows 90% of children’s health is driven by the complex interplay between social, behavioral, environmental, and genetic/epigenetic factors. Connecticut Children’s Childhood Prosperity Lab (the Lab) incubates and accelerates social innovations that address the social determinants of health. The Lab defines social innovations as creative strategies and opportunities that are implemented where children live, learn, work, play and pray; build upon the strengths and assets of families and communities; are developed in partnership with families and communities; and are integrated into existing organizational- and community-level infrastructure, relationships and systems. The Lab partners with changemakers – individuals and networks who are reimagining how to help all children, families, and communities thrive – to scale their innovations to maximum impact.
The Mastermind is a 60-minute consultation in which changemakers meet with a multidisciplinary panel of advisors, internal and external from Connecticut Children’s, and receive feedback and recommendations to guide the development of an innovation. Advisors have experience designing, testing, evaluating, and scaling public, community, and population health initiatives and/or content area expertise in different facets of child health, development, and well-being.
Today’s advisor spotlight features Scott Orsey, Senior Director of Operations and Strategy in Connecticut Children’s Office for Community Child Health. As of July 2025, Scott has participated in 45 Masterminds.
What motivates you to participate in Masterminds?
I’m energized by the chance to support changemakers who are building solutions from the ground up, often in response to real gaps they’ve experienced firsthand. The Mastermind creates a space for honest dialogue, fresh ideas, and cross-disciplinary collaboration – all essential to making meaningful progress on the social drivers of health and wellbeing.
What expertise and experience do you bring to Masterminds?
I bring a systems lens and a strategy mindset, drawing on my background in engineering, finance, and program design. At Connecticut Children’s, I’ve worked on a range of community-based initiatives, from large-scale grant planning to implementation support and measurement strategy. I aim to help changemakers think through how to strengthen their innovation, communicate its value, and navigate systems in ways that foster sustainability and equity.
How does participating in Masterminds align with your professional goals and interests?
An important part of my role is helping community-focused innovations grow from promising ideas to impactful systems-level solutions. Masterminds are a great fit for that. They offer a real-time look at what’s emerging in the field and a chance to contribute to something still being shaped – before it gets locked into a model or structure.
What would you like others to know about participating in the Mastermind as an advisor?
You don’t have to have all the answers. In fact, the best Masterminds are less about giving advice and more about asking good questions, making connections, and learning together. It’s a rewarding way to use your experience in the service of someone else’s vision—and you’ll probably walk away with new insights of your own.
Anything else you would like to share?
It’s been exciting to watch how the Lab creates room for creativity while also pushing toward rigor and accountability. The Mastermind is a key part of that balance. I’d encourage anyone curious about systems change to get involved—it’s a front-row seat to innovation in action.
Interested in learning more?
Are you ready to make an impact in child development? Visit our website to learn how you can collaborate with our team.