James joined CommonAngels in 1999 and currently manages the group's investments in Apperian, Frame Media, HNW, Insight Squared, Nimbit, ParElastic, Skyhook Wireless, TimeTrade Systems and Vela Systems. He also is on the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council. James was the founding chairman of the Angel Capital Association, the professional alliance of angel groups that has grown from 46 groups as charter members to now over 144, representing over 6,500 investors. He also was the founding chairman of ACA’s sister organization, the Angel Capital Education Foundation, in partnership with the Kauffman Foundation. AECF works with angel investors, venture capitalists, academic leaders and entrepreneurs around the country to provide research and educational programs on angel investing. He is a contributing author to Cutting-Edge Practices in American Angel Investing, published in October 2003 by Darden Business Publishing of the University of Virginia, has written papers and various articles on angel investment processes, and regularly speaks on entrepreneurship and private investing.

Prior to CommonAngels, James worked at Cambridge Energy Research Associates, the premier strategic advisory consultancy for the oil, natural gas, electric power and refined products sectors. Prior to CERA, James worked for the U.S. Department of Energy and U.S. Department of State—both in Washington DC—in a variety of roles covering global technology analysis, assessment and policy.

He holds a bachelor's degree with highest honors from the Liberal Arts Honors Program at theUniversity of Texas at Austin, a master's degree in political science from UCLA, and an MBA from MIT's Sloan School of Management. James also is an avid rower and a member of Cambridge.