Representation:

A board’s parent representative is nominated and elected from the parent body (they can be co-opted or selected by the board as well), but they are not an advocate for the parent body. They bring ‘a’ parent perspective into the boardroom but not ‘the’ parent perspective.

A board’s staff representative is nominated and elected from the staff body but they are not an advocate for the staff body. They bring ‘a’ staff perspective into the boardroom but not the staff perspective.