Kristi Wheeler, PA-C

Biography

Kristi Wheeler, PA-C, is an accomplished Physician Assistant with nearly two decades of orthopedic experience at OrthoCarolina. She began her career in 2007 in hip and knee arthroplasty, where she spent ten years developing a strong foundation in joint reconstruction and perioperative care. In 2017, she transitioned to hand and upper extremity surgery, and currently serves as the Lead PA for the Hand Center, working closely with Drs. Ryan Garcia and Michael Gart. 

Kristi brings deep clinical and surgical expertise to her role, with a practice that emphasizes precision, compassion, and teamwork. As part of the PA Fellowship Program faculty, she is passionate about mentoring new providers, sharing her extensive experience across orthopedic subspecialties, and promoting excellence in patient care. 

A native of Iowa, Kristi’s interest in orthopedics began after an ACL injury during high school basketball. She remains a devoted sports fan—especially of women’s basketball and Caitlin Clark. Outside of medicine, she enjoys music festivals, piano lessons, and spending time with her 6-year-old daughter, who uses AAC technology to communicate and inspires her daily with her brilliance and resilience.