Yahoo has announced that Ernst & Young vet Sue James (real name Susan M. James), was elected to the company’s Board of Directors. James is a financial expert who can look back on a very long career at E&Y: she spent the past 35 years working for the auditor.

James was also named Chair of the Yahoo Board’s Audit Committee.

Sue James joined E&Y in 1975, served as a partner from 1987 until her retirement in June 2006, and was also on the E&Y Americas Executive Board of Directors from January 2002 through June 2006. She stayed on as a consultant from June 2006 to December 2009.

She is a certified public accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

During her tenure with the professional services firm, she was the lead partner for the audit work for a number of major technology companies including Intel, Sun Microsystems, Amazon.com, HP and Autodesk. Yahoo’s current CEO, Carol Bartz, was previously Chairman, President, and CEO at Autodesk, so she’s already quite familiar with James.

Sue James also serves on the Board of Directors of Applied Materials, Coherent and Tri-Valley Animal Rescue, a non-profit dedicated to providing homes for homeless pets.