[2] He graduated from Cheyenne East High School and attended Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., receiving degrees in Government and Classical History.
He returned to Cheyenne after college and has worked for the Wyoming Department of Agriculture and as a natural resources policy analyst in the office of Democratic governor Dave Freudenthal.
As of 2019, Zwonitzer openly identifies himself as gay,[3] and lists his spouse, Justin, on his official state legislative biography page.
[4] Zwonitzer was elected to the state House in 2004 after incumbent Edward R. Prosser lost the party nomination in the Republican primary.
Dan and his father, David Zwonitzer, were the first father-and-son team in Wyoming history to simultaneously serve in the state legislature.
The award, which applauds Republican elected officials for displaying "leadership in fighting for basic fairness for gay and lesbian families," was also presented to Michigan state representative Lorence Wenke and New York Assemblywoman Teresa Sayward.