Haynes was born in Tennessee, and moved to the Bronx, New York City when she was about twelve years old.
[3] After graduating, Haynes worked temporary office positions and considered a job in the legal department of a real estate company before she received an offer to become a departmental assistant at the Brooklyn Museum.
[3][4] Her work on the museum's artist-in-residence program was reported to have "impacted the career trajectories of numerous artists who have gone on to have great successes worldwide.
[9] In 2020, Haynes was named director of artist initiatives and curator of contemporary art at Crystal Bridges and the Momentary.
[12] In 2018, Haynes was a member of the jury that selected Rodney McMillian for the inaugural Suzanne Deal Booth Art Prize.