Mark Goffeney

Mark Goffeney is a native San Diegan whose talent and

ambition have helped him to achieve ongoing success as

a performer, speaker and television personality. Mark has

been recognized for his work internationally and was

nominated for an Emmy award in 1998 for his principal

role in the Fox Network commercial, “Feet,”

Born without arms in 1969, Mark was raised to see himself as an equal in society and to value independence.

With these values instilled, Mark was soon noticed by several charities and by 1973 had become a poster child

and principal fund-raiser for both the Variety Club and March of Dimes. For the next decade, Mark co-hosted

hundreds of telethons working side by side with celebrities including Monte Hall and Kathy Lee Gifford and

appeared on Real People, the Mike Douglas Show and Regis Philbin. By 1981, Mark was credited for having

raised more than $6,000,000 for children’s charities.

Music played an early role in Mark’s life. By age nine, he was attempting to create his own music, but choosing

an instrument would prove to be a challenge. For a while he played trombone in the school band until his dad

brought home an old guitar he had found on a jobsite. With a friend’s help, Mark developed his own technique by

laying the guitar on the ground, supporting the neck with whatever he could get his feet on; he would strum with

his left foot and make chords with his right.

By 2000, Mark had successfully completed his first CD titled “Big Toe.” Sponsored by PSB Records and produced

by Steve Dudas (best known for his work with Aerosmith and Ozzy Osbourne), this CD is a collection of Mark’s

original songs and was featured in the San Diego Reader’s “Best of the Best.”

At home in the U.S. Big Toe was given two thumbs up by producer David Foster, (winner of sixteen Grammy

Awards for his work with Celine Dion) and Blink 182’s Travis Barker for their appearance on NBC’s 2006 “Star

Tomorrow.” In October 2007, Big Toe performed on the Fox network Show “The next Great American Band”

created by “American Idol”s Simon Cowell. After the performance, Johnny Resnik, lead singer of the Goo Goo

Dolls told Mark: “You kick ass on the bass guitar!”

His international fan base has him racking up frequent flier miles jetting to do performances in Japan, Korea,

Germany and the Netherlands. In recent years Mark and his band Big Toe have appeared on ARD TV in

Germany where he opened for Lee Ann Rimes on the hit show, “Lippe Blofft.” He’s appeared on “Explosive,” two

Korean network shows, “Amazing World” on SBS and “Amazing People” on MBC. Mark now is also playing guitar

with Alice and the Cooper gang, an Alice Cooper tribute band.

In addition to performing, Mark Goffeney is a sought-after speaker, combining his music, motivational speaking,

humor and life experiences to entertain and educate audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Whether addressing

elementary school students or professionals at national conferences, Mark’s delivers with ease messages of

independence, self-acceptance and overcoming diversity.