Danielle began work as the Assistant Director of Affirmative Action at Kansas State University in the fall of 1992. Danielle left KSU in 1996 to become Associate Director for Equal Opportunity at the University of Kansas. In August 2003, she was appointed by the Governor to serve as the Executive Director of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission. Ms. Dempsey Swopes serves as the Governor's liaison to the African American community and manages the programs and activities of the KAAAC on behalf of its seven commissioners. The Kansas African American Affairs Commission addresses issues of equity for African Americans and serves as a conduit for legislation, programs, grants, research, and policy advice for state and local organizations in addressing concerns that are unique to the African American community in the State of Kansas. 

In the spring of 2004, Danielle spearheaded an effort to pass legislation to move the KAAAC from the Kansas Department of Labor to the Office of the Governor. During the 2005 and 2006 legislative sessions, Danielle worked with legislators to draft and pass Kansas legislation prohibiting the act of racial profiling by Kansas law enforcement agencies. Currently, Ms. Dempsey-Swopes serves as administrator to the Governor's Task Force on Racial Profiling. Ms. Dempsey Swopes continues to serve on many state advisory boards and commissions and provides training in many areas related to leadership, diversity and legislative matters.