Joe Nail

Joe Nail is a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, Founder & CEO of Relay For America, and has served more than five years as a U.S. Army officer.

Relay For America brings Americans together through digital media and large-scale civic events. In 2026, the organization ran an American flag 3,000 miles from San Francisco to Washington, DC for America’s 250th birthday and organized a 227-mile relay from Boston Logan Airport to Ground Zero for the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Together, the events involved nearly 6,000 runners, drew tens of thousands of spectators, and received national coverage from outlets including Fox, CNN, and CBS.

At Stanford, Joe is earning an MBA and a Master’s in International Policy focused on national security and U.S.-China competition. During his Army National Guard service, he graduated first in his Officer Candidate School class and competed on the All-Guard National Marathon and Endurance teams. He is now preparing to become an Army Reserve chaplain.

Previously, Joe founded Lead For America, growing it from his college dorm room to $9M in annual revenue. He was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2020. He also holds a master’s degree from Duke and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with highest distinction from UNC-Chapel Hill as a Morehead-Cain Scholar.

In 2024, Joe became the first person to run 50 marathons and complete 50,000 push-ups across all 50 states in a single summer.