We'll have to agree to disagree.  As Lambert alluded, this is silly semantics. 

I don't doubt Brian's effectivness, skill, expertise or efforts - but he's not our representative.  He has an advisory position.  I think he would even agree.  To represent a group, you DO need to have a dialogue.  I've acted as a representative in many current and past situations.  I think the groups I represent(ed) might have a problem with me if I never spoke to them, never engaged in any dialogue and never reiterated what their stance was so that I represented them correctly. 

 This I definitely know.