People often ask the question: What are the distinctions between Officer (with the three required positions being President, Secretary, and Treasurer), Director (a member of the Board of Directors, the voting and governing body), and Staff (paid) or perhaps volunteer (unpaid)?

Here is a brief explanation about the distinctions between these three primary roles in a nonprofit, and how the "three hats" analogy makes clear the reason that one who serves on a nonprofit board as an Officer or Director may also serve as a paid staff member without any "conflict of interest".