Avril Haines

Avril Haines is an American attorney and public official serving as the Director of National Intelligence under President Joe Biden, the first woman to hold the position. Her career spans senior roles in the Obama administration, including as Deputy National Security Advisor and Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Haines is known for her expertise in national security law, intelligence oversight, and complex international policy.

Early life and education

Avril Haines was born in New York City and spent part of her youth in Japan. She attended Hunter College High School, a selective public school in Manhattan. For her undergraduate studies, she enrolled at the University of Chicago but later transferred to Georgetown University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in physics. She subsequently pursued a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Chicago Law School, where she was an editor of the University of Chicago Law Review.

Legal and policy career

After law school, Haines clerked for Judge Danny Julian Boggs on the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. She then joined the United States Department of State as a legal adviser, working on issues related to international law and treaty compliance. Haines later served as a senior adviser on the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations under then-Chairman Joe Biden. In 2010, she became the Deputy Chief Counsel for the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, where she worked on oversight of the Intelligence Community and legislation including the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.

Director of National Intelligence

Nominated by President Joe Biden in November 2020, Haines was confirmed by the United States Senate in a bipartisan vote on January 20, 2021. As Director of National Intelligence, she leads the United States Intelligence Community, overseeing 18 agencies including the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Agency. Her tenure has focused on modernizing intelligence integration, addressing emerging threats from China and Russia, and prioritizing analysis on climate change and global health. She has also emphasized transparency and rebuilding trust with Congress following periods of tension during the Trump administration.

Post-DNI career and other roles

Prior to becoming Director of National Intelligence, Haines held several key positions. From 2013 to 2015, she served as the first female Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, working under Director John O. Brennan. She then became the Deputy National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, where she coordinated security policy across the National Security Council. In the private sector, she was a senior fellow at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs and a managing partner at WestExec Advisors, a consulting firm co-founded by Antony Blinken.

Personal life

Avril Haines is married to David Davighi, a lawyer and former United States Department of Defense official. The couple lives in Washington, D.C.. Outside of her professional work, Haines is a trained pilot and has worked as a mechanic at an Illinois repair shop. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and has served on the board of the Arms Control Association.

Category:1969 births Category:Living people Category:Directors of National Intelligence Category:Georgetown University alumni Category:University of Chicago Law School alumni