Controversially, she ran a prison in Thailand where suspected al-Qaeda members were tortured by waterboarding in 2002. The so-called black sites - secret overseas locations where the CIA carried out what it termed "enhanced interrogation" techniques - were closed by former US President Barack Obama.
However, President Donald Trump has since spoken out in favour of the harsh interrogation of suspects. Ms Haspel, 61, has extensive overseas experience and has served as chief of station on several postings. Her career has brought her to the UK twice, where she acted as the chief of the London station, according to the New York Times.
The black site in Thailand run by Ms Haspel oversaw the interrogations of al-Qaeda suspects Abu Zubaydah and Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri.
Declassified CIA cables revealed Zubaydah was waterboarded 83 times in one month and had his head slammed into walls.
He was also subjected to sleep deprivation and other harsh methods before interrogators decided he had no useful information to disclose, the documents said.
Waterboarding is an interrogation process that causes the subject to experience the sensation of drowning.
The subject is strapped to an angled board facing down and a cloth is placed over their mouth. Water is poured over the face, creating the feeling that the lungs are filling with water. Recordings of the interrogation sessions were later destroyed. According to the New York Times, Ms Haspel's name was on the cable that carried the destruction orders.
Ms Haspel was later cleared of any wrongdoing and officials said she had been following orders in destroying the tapes. Human rights organisation Reprieve said the episode showed Ms Haspel was "not fit" to run the CIA.
"This is another example of Donald Trump's backward-looking reliance on people and methods that have failed." director Maya Foa said in a statement.
She was picked as nominee for the top CIA job when President Trump named Mr Pompeo as Secretary of State to replace Rex Tillerson.
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Yemisi Frank
is it now that they are now digging her past of torture? Americans don't just like females ruling over them
Endy Edeson
@Chibuike: Hahahahahahaha.
Endy Edeson
Yaw, yeah, she has the president backing despite opposing views from both Democrats and Republicans