Scott was born in 1966 in Providence, Rhode Island, to Mary Lou Gilbert, a single mother and former Ice Capades skater and instructor.
[citation needed] According to his account, she had dropped out of Hope High School in Providence in order to pursue her skating career and received her GED.
Scott was a professional captain on racing sailboats after a college career at the University of Rhode Island in which he crewed on two Kennedy Cup winning teams – collegiate sailing's equivalent of the national championship.
Scott was a Counselor and Group Home Manager in Providence, prior to embarking on his political career.
Scott counts among his supporters Former United States Secretary of the Navy, J. William Middendorf and Grover Norquist (President of Americans for Tax Reform).
Scott was the Rhode Island coordinator for Newt Gingrich's "American Solutions Day" project in 2007.