James grew up outside of Boston, Massachusetts before attending Tulane University in New Orleans, where he graduated with a B.A. in Political Economy and minors in Spanish and English. At Tulane, James served as president of the Sigma Chi fraternity and worked as a job coach for disabled students in the summer. Prior to joining Strategy Asset Managers, James worked as a financial advisor with Equitable Advisors.

A collector of cookware and cast iron, James spends much of his free time cooking. He also enjoys hiking, and writing.