Finite State Appoints Doc McConnell as Head of Policy and Compliance to Strengthen Regulatory Leadership

February 23 2026 — Finite State today announced the appointment of Doc McConnell as Head of Policy and Compliance, further strengthening the company’s leadership team as global cybersecurity regulations place increasing accountability on connected device manufacturers.

Doc brings more than a decade of experience shaping national cybersecurity and technology policy within the U.S. government. He joins Finite State at a pivotal moment as manufacturers navigate evolving regulatory frameworks, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2, and other emerging product security mandates worldwide.

Policy leadership at the intersection of security and regulation

Doc is a seasoned public policy and cybersecurity leader with deep expertise in federal cybersecurity strategy and regulatory development. Before joining Finite State, he led strategic policy development for federal cybersecurity at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), helping shape national approaches to securing critical infrastructure and technology supply chains.

Earlier in his career, Doc served as a policy advisor within the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he worked on technology and cybersecurity policy impacting federal agencies and industry stakeholders alike. His experience gives him a unique perspective on how regulations are created, interpreted, and enforced, and how manufacturers can proactively align security programs with regulatory expectations.

At Finite State, Doc will lead policy and compliance strategy, guiding customers through complex regulatory landscapes and helping ensure the company’s platform and services continue to align with current and emerging cybersecurity requirements for connected devices.

“Regulation is rapidly reshaping how organizations think about product security and software supply chain risk,” said Doc McConnell, Head of Policy and Compliance at Finite State. “Finite State is uniquely positioned to translate regulatory intent into practical, technical outcomes for manufacturers. I’m excited to help customers move beyond checkbox compliance toward measurable, defensible security.”

Advancing trust in a regulated cybersecurity landscape

As cybersecurity policy elevates product security to an executive and board-level priority, Finite State continues to invest in leadership with real-world regulatory and government experience.

“Doc brings invaluable insight into how cybersecurity regulations are formed and how they will be enforced in practice,” said Matt Wyckhouse, CEO of Finite State. “His background at CISA and OMB, combined with deep technical credibility, will help our customers confidently navigate regulatory change while building more secure products. We’re thrilled to welcome him to the team.”

Doc holds a Master of Information and Cybersecurity from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).

About Finite State

Finite State is the Product Security Automation Platform for connected devices. We help manufacturers secure every release and prove compliance continuously by turning firmware, source code, and supplier inputs into real-world security and compliance outcomes. Automated workflows—including threat modeling, exposure prioritization, and evidence generation—produce audit-ready SBOMs, VEX, and verification proof that stay current as products evolve.