James Calvetti was born in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and raised in northern Wisconsin. He received an Associate of Science from Gogebic Community College, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, and a Master of Arts in Education from Marian University. He is married to Catherine and has six children along with a growing number of grandchildren. He is an educator and has taught upper elementary students, in the same school district, for thirty-one years. He is now retired and enjoys traveling, geocaching, biking, hiking, camping, hunting, and the outdoors.