Graham was born on March 6, 1951 in Whitesboro, New Jersey. He received a Bachelor's degree in Social Work from Hardin-Simmons University in 1974 and a Master's degree in Education from Ball State University in 1979.

Graham is an entrepreneur and CEO of S. Graham & Associates, a Chicago-based corporate and educational marketing and consulting firm. He is also founder of AAD (formerly, Athletes Against Drugs), a non-profit organization that provides services to youth and has awarded over $1.5 million in scholarships since its founding in 1985.Graham currently is employed as an adjunct professor at Full Sail University.

Graham has been the subject of much publicity over the years, most notably through tabloid articles claiming to chronicle his ongoing relationship with Winfrey. Graham has been dating Winfrey for over the last 20 years.

Recently, his one-time connection to conservative commentator Armstrong Williams has received a great deal of media attention, the two having founded a public relations firm, the Graham-Williams Group, some 14 years ago. Williams was censured for accepting $250,000 in U.S. government funds for publicly praising the No Child Left Behind Act without admitting he had been paid to do so. Graham was not implicated, and although Williams has retained the company name, Graham has no financial interest in the firm.

Graham is represented by several Speaker's Bureaus and receives between $12,000-$15,000 per appearance.