The Office of the Ambassaor-at-Large for Arctic Affairs will work to lead and coordinate U.S. Arctic safety and security, sustainable economic growth, and encourage more cooperation among Arctic States. Sfraga's confirmation has come after his nomination in February, 2023, and the State Department initiating the creation of the new position in 2022.
Sfraga has been a long-time advocate for UArctic, working as a lead of the Institute for Arctic Policy. He also co-created and co-led the State Departments Fulbright Arctic Initiative, and was the founding director of the Wilson Center’s Polar Institute. He has been serving as the chair of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission since 2021, and served as an affiliate professor at the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). A local Alaskan, Sfraga earned his PhD in geography and northern studies from UAF, engaging in work that looked at the changing geography of the Arctic and Antarctic landscapes, Arctic policy, and the impacts of the changing climate.