James is a builder, creator and a change agent focused on advancing opportunities for the neediest in our communities. In his career, James has served in several corporate, philanthropic, and nonprofit leadership roles. In his most recent role, he served as Senior VP and the Western U.S. Market Leader for Citigroup in its Community Investment and Development Division. In his work there, he directed the bank’s philanthropic strategy to invest millions of dollars in under resourced communities using a racial equity lens. He focused his work at Citi on catalyzing public private partnerships that were later scaled in other parts of the United States. James is seasoned at leading organizations through significant periods of change successfully. As the founder of a private consulting practice called Adelante Partners, he now advises nonprofits and government leaders on how to advance through the next stage of their growth. He previously led the nonprofit Small Business Development Centers in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Throughout his career, he has helped to found numerous organizations, including a community bank in Los Angeles called ProAmerica Bank, a technology accelerator in San Francisco known as Tech Futures Group, and the LA County Center for Financial Empowerment. James currently serves on the boards of three non-profits: Southern CA Grantmakers (Chair of the Board), the Los Angeles LGBT Center, and the Foundation for the Los Angeles Community Colleges. James is a first-generation college graduate with a degree from Stanford University where he served as class president two times. James and his husband Eddie, an educator, live in Pasadena, California. They are parents to twin baby boys and two fur babies – a dog and a cat.