“That was the best our live auction has ever been… To top it all off, you were incredible with the whole open appeal, which totaled just over $24,000.”
Ryan Kelly, Clean Wisconsin
About Geoffrey Sandler, Benefit Auctioneer and Emcee in Madison, WI
Storyteller. Benefit Auctioneer. Emcee.
About Geoffrey
Geoffrey Sandler is a 20-year veteran in the fundraising arena. His success comes from his uncanny ability to study your organization, understand the goals of your event, and use that knowledge to create a thought-provoking, tug-at-your-heartstrings story with the perfect amount of humor, levity, and truth.
Geoffrey is more than just an emcee: he does his research, joins your planning committee, offers tested fundraising ideas and programming notes, and immerses himself in the role of Event Narrator, using his warm storytelling style and humor to communicate your group’s message. He has led more than 400 fundraising events, helped nonprofits raise tens of millions of dollars, and helped raise more than $5.5 million in 2026 alone. Along the way, he puts the fun back in fundraising.
- Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (BAS), National Auctioneers Association
- President, NACE Madison (National Association for Catering and Events); member for 20 years, board member for 15
- Fully insured
- Medically retired U.S. Coast Guard veteran
- Wingra School alumnus
The night the auctioneer didn’t show
Nearly 20 years ago, I was the DJ at my daughter Jenna’s school auction at Blessed Sacrament Elementary. I’d set up my gear, the room was filling, and everything was right on schedule. Except the auctioneer never came.
The committee looked at me and asked what to do. I’d spent my whole life on stage and behind a microphone, so I took a breath and said, “Well… I’ll try it.”
That night beat every year the school had ever had. My wife, Karen, stood in the back with her jaw on the floor. Before I’d even packed up my speakers, three moms came over and asked me to do the auctions for their nonprofits.
I didn’t plan it, but I knew right away I’d found something I was meant to do. I went on to earn my Benefit Auctioneer Specialist certification through the National Auctioneers Association, so I could do it right for every cause that trusted me.
None of it came out of nowhere. I’ve spent more than 40 years as a DJ and emcee, reading rooms and keeping the energy right where it needs to be. And long before that, theater taught me how to tell a story people can feel. A benefit auction is where all of that comes together.
Why it matters to me
When I was a kid, my Grandpa Jack took me camping, and he had one rule: “Leave the campground better than you found it.” I’ve tried to live that way ever since. Do good. Do the right thing. Treat people well.
I care about a lot of causes: kids, health, animals, schools, the environment, people getting a fresh start. I can’t solve all of those problems myself. But I can stand up in front of a room full of people who love your mission, tell your story, and help them feel why their gift matters. Connecting with an audience is the gift I was given, and I’m so grateful I get to use it for you.
I’m 61 now, and I’m stepping back from weddings so I can spend the next ten years focused on what I love most: helping nonprofits as a benefit auctioneer, emcee and speaker. I can’t think of a better way to leave the campground.
Proud to be part of
- NACE Madison (President)
- CureLocal
- WEDWIN
- NAC Collective
- Destination Madison
- MPI Wisconsin
- Middleton Chamber of Commerce
- Little John’s Kitchens (original board member)
- 100 Men of Dane County
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreysandler/ · Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/geoffreysandler/
You have one chance to share your story
Choose someone who understands it. I’d love to hear about your cause and your event, and help you make it your best one yet.
See how I work with nonprofits →
(608) 233-5822 · geoffrey@voiceofgeoffrey.com