Bettina James was born in Brooklyn New York on September l0th 1984 to proud parents Lloydris Joseph and Bernard James. She is the last of three children all very close in age. As a child, Bettina always showed an eagerness to learn and challenged her intellectual side. She received her early education at Meyer Levin (I.S.285). Growing up as a student she was at the top of her class and excelled in many subjects. She took an avid interest in the Sciences especially Biology .As Bettina embarked on her high school education she was accepted at the gifted Career Magnet school in New Haven Connecticut where she was open to a world of opportunities. There she enrolled in Anatomy and Physiology courses that were accredited with Yale University.

At the University Bettina worked with cadavers which played an instrumental role in her learning more about the human body. She exposed herself to many languages including Spanish, Latin and Japanese. She fell in love with the Japanese culture even though many thought that it was different because she was in a class which was predominantly Asian and Caucasian. She graduated from high school with numerous Awards which included the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc Scholarship, and was one of the first recipients of the Ronald Mc Donald house charities (Future Leaders of America Program).

Upon completion of high school Bettina enrolled at the prestigious Tufts University and entered the Pre-Med program with hopes of attending Medical School later. At Tufts she majored in Psychology .She was selected to attend a Medical Conference in Australia where she studied healthcare in hospitals, visited medical institutions as well as indulge in recreational activities This opportunity helped her develop her cultural awareness.

Bettina wanted to explore college life outside of Tufts, so she went on to Spellman, an all-girl historical Black College as a domestic exchange student for one semester; the following semester she studied at a Japanese University ( Kanazawa) as a foreign exchange student. Bettina notes that her year away from Tufts was truly an unforgettable experience and taught her how to face cultural barriers as well as networking within her African American Community, as she looks back at her college career she can truly say that she has left an unforgettable mark as Tufts University graduate. She had developed a sense of leadership, pride and diversity that will remain with her as she enters the real world.