Management Team
Jason Kulpa, Chief Executive Officer
Jason Kulpa founded Underground Elephant, and is responsible for driving the company’s vision. Since its inception in 2008, Underground Elephant has become a leader in technology-based marketing, and is San Diego’s #1 fastest-growing private company. Jason was recently recognized for his outstanding leadership, and awarded the Most Admired CEO award by the San Diego Business Journal. Kulpa is a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, and has a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree from Arizona State University. Jason is currently attending Harvard Business School in Boston, but resides in La Jolla.
Brad Kates, Chief Financial Officer
Brad Kates serves as Underground Elephant’s Chief Financial Officer. He is responsible for overseeing corporate finances, developing initiatives to streamline internal operations, and assisting with the company’s aggressive acquisition plan. Kates comes to Underground Elephant from Shopzilla, where he also served as CFO. Prior to Shopzilla, Kates held several leadership positions with The Walt Disney Company. He has over 20 years of experience as a financial executive. Kates holds a Master of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from Emory University.
Taryn Lomas, Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts
Taryn Lomas serves as the Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts. Seasoned in sales, marketing, advertising, and business development, she clearly executes the vision of the company. Lomas has been recognized for multiple awards, including the SDBJ’s Women Who Mean Business Award and the Stevie Award for Women in Business. Lomas has carved her way into digital marketing and lead generation industries through her aptitude, tenacity and hard work. Prior to Underground Elephant, Lomas was the Marketing Director at National Powersport Auctions. She graduated from The School of Letters and Sciences at Arizona State University, with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree in Business and Communication.
Keola Malone, Senior Vice President, Products
As the Senior Vice President of Products, Keola Malone is responsible for establishing the foundation for Underground Elephant’s technology systems. Malone has helped to develop and implement the core proprietary software which has been the backbone to the Company’s technical operations. By overseeing the development of new technology iterations, he works closely with the team in order to continually optimize platform features and functionality. He was recognized as a finalist for SDBJ’s IT Executive of the Year Award for his outstanding vision and leadership of his department. Malone has a comprehensive background in information technology, systems support, and mass communications.
Mike Norman, Senior Vice President, Marketing
Mike Norman, Senior Vice President of Marketing, is responsible for developing, growing, and maintaining the Company’s revenue generation process at Underground Elephant. Using his vast knowledge of the industry, he manages and directs the Marketing Department, including the Search Engine Marketing, Social, Display, Business Intelligence and Design teams. Norman spearheads all marketing initiatives and streamlines production operations so that management expectations are carried through each stage of development. He is responsible for assessing the profitability of current and future verticals and has successfully launched the marketing team into the education, automotive, mortgage and insurance verticals. Norman graduated from Purdue University with an emphasis in Business.
