Kenna James was born in Chicago Illinois on December 18, 1963. His poker career began when he took a job as a poker dealer at Hollywood Park Casino in LA.  Kenna James started playing at the casino as well, and soon after started entering $20 and $100 buy-in tournaments across southern California.  Kenna James later became a tournament director.  Feeling that he could make more money playing poker than working for casinos, Kenna James decided to quite his job and start playing poker full-time.

Kenna James’ decision to play professionally has been quite profitable.  In addition to his cash game winnings, Kenna James has won nearly $3 million in tournament winnings.  He has made the money 12 times at the World Series of Poker, but has only made it to one final table where he had a fourth place finish.  He has made one World Poker Tour final table, where he finished 2nd after being defeated by Alex Kahaner in the Legends of Poker event. He finished 2nd on the fifth annual PartyPoker Million Cruise and in February 2006 he won an event at the LA Poker Classic.

Kenna James also competed in the first season of the Ultimate Poker Challenge, where he was eliminated by Jennifer Harman in the semi-finals.  He had pocket kings and she had pocket aces. Kenna James is also a spokesperson for Sun Poker.

Kenna James has a wife and two children, and they currently live in Las Vegas, Nevada.