Carolyn Wheeler

Carolyn Wheeler is the CEO and Co-Founder of Vella Bioscience, a pioneering FemTech company advancing clinically driven solutions in women's hormonal, sexual, and intimate health, dedicated to closing the research and innovation gap in sexual and reproductive health consumer solutions. Since becoming CEO in 2023, she has led Vella’s mission to elevate women’s sexual wellness through evidence-based innovation, public education, and strategic collaborations.

Wheeler’s work is deeply informed by design thinking, social impact, and educational outreach. She has secured research grants from institutions such as the Graham Foundation and has been featured by Princeton, Harvard, and Penn. Holding a B.A. in Anthropology from Colby College and a Master’s in Landscape Architecture from Harvard, her interdisciplinary expertise has shaped Vella’s forward-thinking product development and scientific initiatives, including journal publications and stealth.

Recognized by Inc. magazine as a top female founder and as a Trailblazing Female Founder by STIMULATE, Wheeler is also active in advocacy, championing initiatives like Vella’s partnership with the Take Control Initiative to improve women’s access to reproductive health resources and ISSWSH to offer scholarships to medical students to encourage them to become women’s sexual health specialists. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she leads both the company's headquarters and its lab operations near Boston.