Hailing from Rochester NY, Captain Woityra is a 2025 CFR International Affairs Fellow in Canada and a 2018 Fulbright Scholar in Finland. He is a 1999 Coast Guard Academy graduate, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. Advanced degrees include a Master of Science in Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island, an MBA from Chancellor University, and an Advanced Diploma in Maritime Law from the IMO International Maritime Law Institute. He was an MIT Seminar XXI National Security Fellow in 2018-2019.

A career icebreaker sailor, CAPT Woityra spent more than 12 years breaking ice at sea. As Commanding Officer, he led POLAR STAR to set world records for extreme navigation in the Arctic and Antarctic regions. As Operations Officer, he led CGC HEALY on five Arctic research missions, including her historic 2015 expedition to the North Pole, the first time an unaccompanied U.S. surface vessel had reached the top of the world. He served for three years as Commanding Officer of CGC NEAH BAY in Cleveland OH. He served as Executive Officer on CGC THUNDER BAY out of Rockland ME and previously on POLAR STAR as Marine Science Officer, where he made one Antarctic and two Arctic deployments. He also served as a research fellow on the 2017 Arctic 100 Northwest Passage Expedition aboard the Finnish icebreaker NORDICA, and the 2022 North Pole Expedition aboard the French icebreaker LE COMMMANDANT CHARCOT.

Captain Woityra’s previous shore assignment was on detail to the Department of Defense as Director for Oceania Policy at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (J53) where he led a team of ten to manage bilateral military relationships with Australia, New Zealand, and 14 Pacific Islands. He previously served at Coast Guard Headquarters (CG-WWM) as Program Manager for Coast Guard icebreaking, where he set priorities to establish where, when, and why the Coast Guard breaks ice, worldwide. In this capacity, he visited the South Pole twice, in 2017 and 2019. He served two years as Coast Guard Attaché to Malta, where he advised the U.S. Ambassador and Armed Forces of Malta on maritime concerns and taught Search and Rescue Coordinator classes at the Maritime Safety and Security Training Centre. He also served at the International Ice Patrol, tracking North Atlantic icebergs threatening shipping on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland.

During his time in Command of POLAR STAR, the unit was honored as the SNA Capt. Hopley Yeaton Cutter of the Year and won the ASNE Lucas Plaque for accomplishments in Naval Engineering. Captain Woityra’s personal awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense and Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medals, Department of State Meritorious Honor Award, and other decorations. He was honored as Distinguished Alumnus of the Year by his high school, and received the Alumni Achievement Award for Character, Courage and Leadership from the Coast Guard Academy. He is a permanent Cutterman and has earned the Aviation Mission Specialist and Navy Craftmaster designations. In 2019, he was admitted as a National Fellow of The Explorers Club, and in 2022 he was named as an honorary USCG Chief Petty Officer.