Podcasts

President & CEO, Family Partnerships of Central Florida

Phil Scarpelli is the President and CEO of Family Partnerships of Central Florida—a dedicated and passionate agent of change guiding the organization in its mission to protect children, strengthen families, and change lives. An insightful speaker with an inspiring outlook and a distinctive voice, Phil serves as an emotionally intelligent expert, whether leading the executive team or hosting the Family Partnerships Podcast.

The Philosophy of Relational Impact

As a true servant leader, Phil’s executive mandate is grounded in the profound power of connection. His philosophy—the emotional current running through the entire system—centers on relational impact. Phil often stresses his core belief: it takes just one adult-child relationship, built on the certainty of unconditional love and acceptance, to permanently alter a child’s trajectory. This deeply human-centered view, honed over his 35 years in behavioral healthcare, elevates the organization’s work, ensuring every action aligns with family-centered, strength-based, and community-driven values.

A Career Forged in Positive Change

Hailing from New York, Phil began his career on the frontlines, working with children in state hospitals and inner-city environments. This strong, hands-on experience led him to Florida in 1990, where he became deeply immersed in the privatization of the state’s child-welfare system—a “Renaissance time” that fundamentally reshaped the continuum of care for foster children, adoption, and independent living.

Phil has since devoted his professional life to building the infrastructure for empathetic care, contributing to leadership development for the Department of Children and Families’ (DCF) central region.

Visionary Leadership and Proven Results

Phil’s tenure reached a historic milestone in May 2024 when he spearheaded a significant expansion from a single-county agency, transforming it into Family Partnerships of Central Florida. This visionary growth broadened the organization’s compassionate role to manage child protection and permanency efforts across four Central Florida counties: Brevard, Orange, Osceola, and Seminole.

Under this expanded mandate, the organization provides family services to an average of 8,500 children and youth annually and more than 2,800 young people on any given day. This scale is matched by excellence: Phil’s leadership ensures the agency remains consistently ranked among the top-performing community-based care agencies in the state regarding visits to children, timely reunification, and exceeding federal measures for placement stability. This achievement is a testament to Phil’s commitment to the organization’s Principles of Practice, demanding a persistent and unconditional presence in every community they serve.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and gerontology from Iona College and a master’s degree in psychology from Yeshiva University, Phil possesses the scholarly credentials beneath his deeply human-centered approach. His ultimate commitment remains steadfast: fostering a more empathetic community and encouraging all to view the child-welfare system not as an insurmountable challenge but as a responsive place of hope and opportunity.

In the Media

Media platforms often seek Phil’s expertise and insightful outlook, as his calm voice clarifies complex issues.

Podcast Guest Appearances:

• Rock Paper Simple Industry Insights | Podcast Episode 14: Phil Scarpelli
• Central Florida Foundation | Podcast Episode 10: Understanding The Foster Care System

News Coverage:

• WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News: 3 Central Florida counties join new foster care organization
• WFTV Channel 9 Eyewitness News: Advocates say more foster families needed in Central Florida

Guest Columnist:

• Florida Today: Capernaum Place offers housing for aged-out foster youth in Florida