Dorcas Helfant-Browning

Dorcas T. Helfant-Browning, a native of Chesapeake, VA, was president of the National Association of REALTORS® in 1992. She was the first woman to lead the National Association, and, at the age of 45, was one of the youngest people to serve as NAR president at that point in the organization’s history. She has been an NAR director since 1983 and taken on active roles in numerous national committees.

On the regional and local levels, Helfant-Browning served as president of the Tidewater Board of REALTORS® in 1980 and the Virginia Association of REALTORS® in 1984. Both groups have honored her with the REALTOR® of the Year award.

Helfant-Browning began her real estate career in 1967, shortly after the birth of her first child. Seven years later, she was owner of her own firm, which affiliated with Coldwell Banker in 1989. She is currently a managing partner and principal broker with Coldwell Banker Professional REALTORS® in Virginia Beach.

An active volunteer in her community, she was named Hampton Roads Woman of the Year in 1990 and has served for many years on the board of directors of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. She was president of the Tidewater Council of Boy Scouts in 2004 and served on the board of trustees of Human Bayside Hospital. In 1992 she received an honorary PhD in the humanities from Commonwealth College of Virginia. She was chairwoman of Tidewater Community College and currently serves on Virginia’s State Board of Community Colleges.