Evelyn Chao monogramEvelyn R. ChaoChangemaker

PM Ready Organization

A center of learning and collaboration for young leaders.

Founded in 2023, PM Ready makes project leadership learning accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students of all backgrounds.

I founded PM Ready in 2023. It serves as a center of learning and collaboration, making project leadership learning accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students of all backgrounds.

No matter who you are, PM Ready inspires you to live a life of purpose and create a positive social impact.

Visit pmready.org

Year 1 impact highlights

  • 3,000+

    Students reached globally

  • 30+

    Webinars & expert interviews

  • 11

    Countries with ambassadors

  • $7,464

    Fundraised in year one

Speakers, consultants, and ambassadors from 24 cities, 12 states, and 6 countries in year one — now an ambassador network spanning 11 countries.

Evelyn Chao with her sisters Elaine and Elise and Lee R. Lambert, a founder of the PMP certification, at the PMI Washington, DC Chapter Annual Summit
Evelyn with her sisters Elaine and Elise and Lee R. Lambert, a founder of the Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification, at the Project Management Institute Washington, DC Chapter Annual Summit — August 2024.

Programs

More than teaching project management.

PM Ready is the world's first student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through project management education — building a global, intergenerational community where students and professionals collaborate to drive change.

Leadership in Art

In partnership with public schools in Prince George's County, Maryland, PM Ready's inaugural student competition (spring 2024) challenged students — particularly those from underrepresented groups — to research and act on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Sponsored by the Hershey Heartwarming Young Heroes Grants, it led to two public exhibits and inspired nearly 2,000 students.

Webinars & mentorship

More than 30 webinars and interviews with global experts and youth leaders, building an intergenerational community where students and professionals collaborate on real challenges.

Courses & youth camps

Self-paced online courses and camps that introduce young people to the fundamentals of project management, plus a growing ambassador network across 11 countries.

Youth Voices of Change: Case Studies of Impactful Student Projects, edited by Evelyn Chao

Coming early 2026

Youth Voices of Change

Supported by the PMI Washington, DC Chapter, Evelyn is leading the effort to publish Youth Voices of Change: Case Studies of Impactful Student Projects — the first anthology of its kind, featuring essays from over 30 youth leaders worldwide on how they applied project management to challenges in their communities.

See books & publications

Recognition

Featured in PM World Journal

PM World Journal (ISSN: 2330-4880), a journal affiliated with the Project Management Institute, featured PM Ready in its December 2023 issue under the “PM Education News” section. The journal recognized and recommended PM Ready as a new project management resource for young people.

Read “PM Ready Achieves Non-Profit Status”