Avril Danica Haines is a prominent American lawyer and government official who made history as the first woman to serve as the Director of National Intelligence under the Biden administration. Her distinguished career includes key roles in the Obama administration, such as Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Haines also held the position of Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs within the White House Counsel's Office.
August 27, 1969: Birth of Avril Danica Haines
Avril Danica Haines was born on August 27, 1969. This event marks the beginning of her life.
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1991: Haines begins flying lessons and meets her future husband
While studying at the University of Chicago in 1991, Haines started taking flying lessons in New Jersey. It was during this time that she met David Davighi, who would later become her husband.
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1992: Haines graduates from the University of Chicago
In 1992, Avril Haines graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelor of Arts degree in physics.
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1992: Haines moves to Baltimore and opens Adrian's Book Cafe
Moving to Baltimore in 1992, Haines enrolled in a physics doctoral program at Johns Hopkins University but later left to open Adrian's Book Cafe with her future husband. They transformed a former bar in Fell's Point into this bookstore and café.
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1997: Adrian's Book Cafe wins "Best Independent Bookstore"
In 1997, Adrian's Book Cafe, owned by Avril Haines and her husband, was recognized by City Paper as the "Best Independent Bookstore." The café was recognized for its diverse collection of literary works, support of local authors, and promotion of small press publications.
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1998: Haines concludes her time as president of the Fell's Point Business Association
Avril Haines's tenure as president of the Fell's Point Business Association ended in 1998.
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1998: Haines begins law school at Georgetown University
In 1998, Avril Haines enrolled at the Georgetown University Law Center to pursue a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
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2001: Haines graduates from Georgetown Law Center
Avril Haines graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2001, earning her Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
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2001: Haines begins work as a legal officer at the Hague Conference on Private International Law
Avril Haines started working as a legal officer at the Hague Conference on Private International Law in 2001.
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2002: Haines clerks for Judge Danny Julian Boggs
In 2002, Avril Haines served as a law clerk for Judge Danny Julian Boggs on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
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2003: Haines joins the Department of State's Office of the Legal Adviser
Haines joined the Office of the Legal Adviser at the Department of State in 2003. Her initial role was in the Office of Treaty Affairs, and she later moved to the Office of Political Military Affairs.
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2006: Haines concludes her work at the Department of State's Office of the Legal Adviser
In 2006, Avril Haines finished her work at the Department of State's Office of the Legal Adviser.
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2007: Haines starts working for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Avril Haines began working for the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2007. She held the position of Deputy Chief Counsel for the Majority Senate Democrats under the leadership of then-chairman Joe Biden.
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2008: Haines ends her role with the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
Avril Haines concluded her work with the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations in 2008.
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2008: Haines returns to the Department of State as Assistant Legal Adviser
In 2008, Avril Haines returned to the Department of State to serve as the Assistant Legal Adviser for Treaty Affairs.
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2009: Start of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture
The Senate Intelligence Committee commenced its investigation into CIA torture in 2009.
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2010: Haines appointed to the White House Counsel's office
In 2010, Avril Haines was appointed to work in the White House Counsel's office. She served as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Counsel to the President for National Security Affairs.
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2012: Conclusion of the Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture
The Senate Intelligence Committee concluded its investigation into CIA torture in 2012.
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2012: Senate Intelligence Committee concludes torture is ineffective for intelligence gathering
The Senate Intelligence Committee concluded its report on torture in 2012, stating that the practice was ineffective in gathering intelligence because those being tortured would say anything to make it stop.
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April 18, 2013: President Obama nominates Haines as Legal Adviser of the Department of State
On April 18, 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Avril Haines to be the Legal Adviser of the Department of State. This nomination was to fill the vacancy left by Harold Hongju Koh, who returned to Yale Law School.
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June 13, 2013: President Obama withdraws Haines's nomination as Legal Adviser, nominates her as Deputy Director of the CIA
On June 13, 2013, President Obama withdrew Avril Haines's nomination for Legal Adviser of the Department of State. Instead, he nominated her for the position of Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This nomination was to replace Michael Morell, who was the outgoing Deputy Director and former Acting Director.
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August 9, 2013: Haines assumes office as Deputy Director of the CIA
Avril Haines officially assumed the position of Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) on August 9, 2013. This marked the end of Michael Morell's term. Haines's appointment made her the first woman to hold this position.
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2015: Haines decides against disciplining CIA personnel involved in Senate staffers' computer hacking
In 2015, Avril Haines, in her capacity as the Deputy Director of the CIA, was given the responsibility of deciding whether to discipline CIA staff members who had been involved in the hacking of computers belonging to Senate staffers. These staffers were involved in creating the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA torture. Haines ultimately chose not to pursue disciplinary action against the personnel, a decision that went against the recommendation of the CIA Inspector General.
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2015: Haines decides against disciplining CIA personnel involved in Senate staffers' computer hacking
In 2015, Avril Haines, in her capacity as the Deputy Director of the CIA, was given the responsibility of deciding whether to discipline CIA staff members who had been involved in the hacking of computers belonging to Senate staffers. These staffers were involved in creating the Senate Intelligence Committee's report on CIA torture. Haines ultimately chose not to pursue disciplinary action against the personnel, a decision that went against the recommendation of the CIA Inspector General.
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2016: Haines participates in addressing the DNC email leak during the presidential campaign
During the 2016 presidential campaign, when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) email leak occurred, Avril Haines, serving as the Deputy National Security Advisor (DNSA), organized a series of meetings. These meetings were aimed at formulating a response to the hacking incident and the subsequent leaks. Following this, she played a role in the CIA's project of redacting the Senate report for public release. Ultimately, only a limited portion of the 6,700-page CIA torture report, comprising 525 pages, was made available to the public.
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May 2020: Haines appointed Director of Columbia World Projects
In May 2020, Avril Haines was appointed Director of Columbia World Projects, succeeding Nicholas Lemann. In this role, she was responsible for leading the program's efforts to leverage academic research to address significant global challenges.
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June 2020: References to Palantir and other corporations removed from Haines's Brookings Institution resumé
In late June 2020, soon after Avril Haines assumed the role of overseeing foreign policy and national security for Joe Biden's 2020 presidential campaign transition team, her fellowship resumé on the Brookings Institution's website was edited. References to Palantir and other companies she had been associated with were removed.
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November 23, 2020: Joe Biden nominates Haines for Director of National Intelligence
On November 23, 2020, then-President-elect Joe Biden announced Avril Haines as his nominee for the position of Director of National Intelligence. If confirmed, Haines would become the first woman to hold this position.
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2020: National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 requiring release of Kashoggi murder report passed
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 was passed, including a provision that requires the intelligence community to share the report on who was responsible for Jamal Kashoggi's murder.
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January 6, 2021: Haines addresses the January 6th Capitol storming and QAnon threat during confirmation hearing
During her confirmation hearing, Avril Haines addressed the January 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol building. She acknowledged that investigating domestic threats is primarily the FBI's responsibility. However, she committed to working with the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security to assess the public threat posed by QAnon, a conspiracy theory embraced by some supporters of former President Donald Trump.
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January 19, 2021: Haines pledges to release Kashoggi murder report during confirmation hearing
During her Senate confirmation hearing on January 19, 2021, Avril Haines assured Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) that, if confirmed, she would comply with the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020. This act mandates the intelligence community to disclose the report identifying those responsible for Jamal Kashoggi's murder. The Trump administration had previously declined to release this report.
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January 20, 2021: Senate Confirmation and Swearing-In
On January 20, 2021, Avril Haines was confirmed as the Director of National Intelligence by the Senate with a vote of 84-10. Following her confirmation, she was sworn in the next day by Vice President Kamala Harris.
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July 2021: The American Prospect publishes article analyzing Haines's connection to WestExec and the Biden administration
An article published in The American Prospect in July 2021 examined the connections between WestExec, a consulting firm, and the Biden administration. The article included an analysis of Avril Haines's involvement in this context.
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May 2022: Warning on Russia and China
In May 2022, Avril Haines cautioned against the efforts of Russia and China to establish influence within the international community. She highlighted their attempts to foster relationships with U.S. allies, specifically mentioning Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as examples.
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2024: Australian Intelligence Medal Award
In 2024, Avril Haines received the Australian Intelligence Medal as part of the King's Birthday Honours. The Australian government recognized her with this honor for her exceptional service and contributions to the National Intelligence Community.
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