Kathleen A. James was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve on the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled in early June 2007 and represents the U.S. Air Force.

James had previously been the Air Force Liaison to the Committee from September 2003 until her appointment.

Currently, James is the Chief, Air Force Labor Advisors Office. Since 1996, James held numerous staff positions within the Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary (Contracting) organization. She provided support as a senior procurement analyst to the Air Force Program Executive Officers for Combat and Mission Support and C2 and Combat Support Systems. She was primarily responsible for the rewrite of Air Force source selection policy in 1999, which significantly changed the way the Air Force evaluated competitive proposals.

Her current duties include serving as a member of the Air Force Executive Steering Group for Housing and Utilities Privatization.

James was one of the Air Force's first Competition Advocates when the Competition in Contracting Act (CICA) became effective in 1985. She was a Competition Advocate at the Ballistic Missile Office at Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, CA, and a policy and procurement analyst for the Air Force Systems Command at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and Air Force Materiel Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton Ohio. Prior to her joining the Air Force civilian workforce, she worked as an Army Contract Specialist at the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive Command in Warren, MI.

James is a Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM), and Acquisition Professional Development Program Level III certified in contracting within the Air Force acquisition workforce. Her educational accomplishments include a Master in Social Work Administration Degree from Wayne State University, Detroit Michigan (June 1979) and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and Philosophy with a Linguistics minor from Oakland University in Rochester, MI (August 1974). She completed the Defense Acquisition University Advanced Program Management course in April 2002.

James has been the recipient of numerous performance awards, and was recognized in 1995 as the Air Force Materiel Command Contracting Civilian of the Year. Her most recent job performance award was in January 2006.

As an active member of the local community, James has volunteered at the Alexandria Domestic Violence shelter, as well as annually at the Alexandria American Red Cross Waterfront Festival. James also contributes significantly throughout the year to local and national charities through the Combined Federal Campaign. James' other interests include singing as a member of the Alexandria Choral Society, and support as a contributor and member of The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Wolf Trap, the Resident Associate Smithsonian program, charter member of the Smithsonian Native American Museum, Friends of Mount Vernon and Friends of the National Zoo.

A native of Detroit, MI, James has been a resident of Alexandria, VA since 1996.