Board Profile: David Traggorth

A Developing Situation at Cushing

Hanover resident David Traggorth has dedicated much of his life to serving others, so it was no surprise when he took an interest in joining the board of directors of Cardinal Cushing Centers.

Traggorth is the principal of Causeway Development, a real estate development and advisory firm. He consults with numerous nonprofits on complex real estate challenges and has directly overseen a wide variety of mixed-income, mixed-use development projects that leverage public and private financing.

At the start of his career, Traggorth spent time in Sri Lanka after the tsunami disaster, helping to reconstruct houses, and in Sierra Leone, assisting in building clinics and roads. He moved to the Boston area in 2008.

Traggorth, who grew up in Baltimore, was raised in the construction business with his family and later earned his master’s degree in urban planning and community development. “I’ve always been involved in construction and real estate for as long as I can remember,” he said.

It’s been exciting for him to serve on Cushing’s board during a time of many development projects.

“Cushing has a tremendous amount of real estate assets and buildings,” he said. “It’s impressive to watch them grow, expand, and build networks and relationships. It’s been really fun to be a part of the decision-making and planning for the future.”

Traggorth, who lives with his wife and three children down the street from Cushing, was familiar with the organization before joining the board.

“We can walk to the café, and I’ve always been so impressed,” he said. “The students and adults working there have a great relationship with the customers and are really at home in the community.”

Traggorth’s friend and colleague, Jake Simmons, a former board member, connected him to the board, and he has been grateful for the experience.

“My older sister has intellectual disabilities and attends a school in North Carolina that’s similar to Cushing,” said Traggorth. “I’ve always appreciated — and even more so as an adult — the role places like Cushing play in the community and the resource they are for families. I’m happy to support in any way that I can.”