 Born in Point Pleasant, New Jersey on June 6, 1946, Haines graduated from Lakewood High School in 1964 and attended Ocean County College.She served on the Dover Township Municipal Utilities Authority and was the Clerk of the New Jersey General Assembly from May 1987 to January 1990.A resident of Toms River (then Dover Township), Haines and her Republican running mates in the 1991 general election – David W. Wolfe for the second assembly seat and Andrew R. Ciesla for the State Senate – were elected to office in the 10th Legislative District, covering portions of both Monmouth County and Ocean County.