Jane James is no novice to the world of teaching and touts a track record of having successfully tailored instruction for students in a range of educational levels. Growing up around teachers, her impetus and teaching experience began at age 11. Up to age 15, James tutored children who came to her home for after school lessons in mathematics, English and science. Her ability to look at the big picture led her down various career paths where she believed she could impact the most change. By age 19, her professional experiences included working as the first female public health inspector in her native country, St. Lucia. There, her hard work and innovative thinking led to the development of a community health program that provided health education about communicable diseases and prevention in schools, districts and healthcare institutions. James also taught this program to employees of hotels, restaurants, and other food service establishments to educate on food-borne illness transmission and prevention. She also provided crisis intervention in the aftermath of natural disasters. She came to the United States in 1982.

James joined the faculty of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work in 2011, and is currently an assistant teaching professor in the Virtual Academic Center. Prior to coming to USC, she was a part-time and visiting instructor at the University of Central Florida for eight years. James received a dual bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Psychology at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and her MSW at Columbia University in the New York City. While studying at Mount Saint Vincent, James tutored students in economics in the Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP). She obtained certification in Negotiation and Alternate Dispute Resolution from Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul, Minnesota and earned her Juris Doctor from Barry University School of Law in Florida. 

She held a number of positions during her social work career. As a school breakfast coordinator with the Nutrition Consortium of New York State, she advocated for and facilitated the implementation of the federally funded school breakfast program in New York state. She also worked in the New York City child welfare system from 1996 to 2001, during which she delivered social services to foster care youth and promoted quality childcare services in Westchester County. From 1998 through 2001, James worked concurrently as a psychotherapist at the Rye Psychiatric Hospital and in private practice. She moved to Florida in 2001. 

While attending law school, James taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in the social work curriculum at the University of Central Florida. She served as a practicum liaison to Master of Social Work students and conducted on-site visits to their practicum placement locations. Her research interests include exploring compassion fatigue among social workers in hospice care, examining diversity in the workplace and the role of human sexuality in MSW curricula. 

James’ teaching career and her academic prowess has led to many invitations to serve on curriculum development and review boards, involving her call to conduct peer reviews for the Journal of Human Sexuality Education. A valued member of professional organizations, James currently serves as a board member for the Center for Economic and Social Justice (CESJ). In this role she interviewed Senator Karla May (Missouri) to provide impetus for the Senator’s introduction of the April 20, 2022, Senate Concurrent Resolution 18 at the State Senate hearings. This resolution is modeled after CESJ's "Resolution in Support of the Economic Democracy Act," and is a prototype for all states to adopt. It calls on the president and congress to enact the Economic Democracy Act, which includes major changes to Federal Reserve policy and federal tax policy to provide equal capital ownership opportunity to every citizen. 

James has garnered much recognition in the educational, professional, and community service arenas. For the academic year 2021-2022, she was appointed to serve as a member of the USC Mentoring Committee, which is jointly assigned by the Academic Senate and the Provost, with administration provided by the Academic Senate.