James is a member of BMI, The Dramatist Guild of America, The Academy of Scoring Arts, The National Association of Negro Musicians, Inc., Composers Diversity Collective, Theatre West, The Society of  Composers & Lyricists, and the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers. He is the Executive Director of the Laity Institute of the Arts, a Private Arts Foundation that teaches children and adults the visual and performing arts. He is also an accomplished playwright and composer. He learned to hone his skills in musical theatre through New Musicals Inc