James was born and grew up in Auckland, where his early leadership as head prefect and his sporting achievements for the First XV rugby team and regional golf team were complemented by his academic dedication. Awarded the University of Auckland Chancellor’s Scholarship and the National Bluelight Scholarship of Excellence for services to at-risk youth, he won the JDK North Prize for Most Distinguished Graduate in Medicine at the University of Auckland School of Medicine.

Following graduation, James completed foundational posts in Otolaryngology and Plastic Surgery across the Auckland region before entering New Zealand’s competitive specialist training scheme in Ear, Nose and Throat surgery. During his training, he received a prestigious surgeon-scientist scholarship from the Passe & Williams Foundation to undertake his PhD, investigating what causes diseases of the tonsils and adenoids. He successfully defended his thesis in 2019 and is now regarded as an expert in this field.

James then completed a fellowship at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, the world’s first dedicated children’s hospital and one of the few centres globally to perform high-volume paediatric airway reconstruction. This fellowship was also supported by the Passe & Williams Foundation through their Academic Surgeon‑Scientist Fellowship, making James one of only a handful of surgeons in Australasia to receive both of these distinguished awards. While in London, he was admitted as a member of the international postgraduate deanery of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (MIPDEd).

He went on to join the University of Sydney Voice Lab as the Sydney International Laryngology Fellow, making him the only New Zealand surgeon dually fellowship trained in adult and paediatric airway surgery. He completed his surgical training and achieved Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2023, marking twenty years of continuous training since beginning medical school. He is now a tenured Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the University of Auckland and has authored over fifty peer-reviewed publications.

Recognising New Zealand’s geographic isolation and the need for children to benefit from expertise gained at leading international centres, James is committed to establishing a dedicated academic paediatric Otolaryngology unit at Starship Children’s Hospital, where he also serves as a consultant. He is particularly driven to address the health inequities faced by Māori and Pasifika children, ensuring they receive the same world-class care as anywhere in the world.

In private practice, he specialises in airway surgery for children and adults. Managing breathing difficulties from the nose to the larynx (voice box), including sleep‑disordered breathing and sleep apnoea. He provides advanced care for voice, swallowing, and complex airway conditions, with meticulous surgical technique and a family-centred approach. As a father of three, James understands firsthand the importance of involving families in every step of care.