Danny graduated from Virginia Tech in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agronomy specializing in Soil Science.  After his graduation in 1974, he was appointed as Party Leader and Author of City of Virginia Beach and Washington County Soil Surveys where he served until mid 1992. Moving further North, he accepted a position with Fauquier County as the County Soil Scientist. During his tenure with Fauquier County, he was charged with updating the 1956 Fauquier County Soil Survey in addition to reviewing projects submitted to the Fauquier County Board of Supervisors for approval.

From 1976 until his departure from Fauquier County in 2004, Danny also practiced Soil Science part time as an independent consultant. Operating as Hatch Soil Consulting, he focused on the evaluation of parcels for drain fields from Virginia Beach to Bland County in Virginia and was also very active in Northeastern Tennessee.

Danny has also had the privilege to serve on various legislative committees and participate in Health Department rules and regulation studies. In 1994, he was appointed by Virginia Governor George Allen to serve on the Sewage Appeals Board. He is also a current board member and past president of the Virginia Association of Professional Soil Scientists.