The virtual PM

Managing Chaos, One Project at a Time

A project management company

welcome

About us

The Virtual PM is a project leadership and development company that helps businesses manage work with clarity and lead with confidence. We specialize in training, consulting, fractional project leadership, and tactical planning that gives your team just enough structure to move forward without slowing you down.

We go beyond checklists and traditional project methodologies. Our approach combines essential project tools with leadership development, DISC assessments, and the soft skills that drive results including communication, delegation, and problem-solving.

Whether you’re launching a new initiative, juggling priorities, or building a stronger team, we bring structure, strategy, and support. Our project assessments and hands-on solutions help streamline workflows, align your efforts with business goals, and reduce risk at every stage.

We understand the pressure of leading projects without formal training and the challenge of doing more with fewer resources. That’s why our solutions are designed for real people in real roles who need to build capability from the inside out.

If your business has projects but no structure, we’re here to help you lead the work, not just survive it.

Meet The Woman Behind The Virtual PM

Donna Franklin West, MHA, PMP, CSM

Founder and CEO of The Virtual PM | Established 2020

Donna Franklin West is a seasoned IT and leadership professional with more than two decades of experience in full life cycle implementations, operations, and project management. Known for her no-nonsense, get-it-done approach, Donna blends technical expertise with a sharp focus on developing leaders, growing teams, and delivering meaningful project results.

While outcomes matter, Donna is equally committed to building strong client relationships across all experience levels. She is skilled at engaging and aligning both technical and operational stakeholders to drive collaboration, reduce confusion, and create forward momentum.

Her tactical mindset allows her to assess complex situations, lead with clarity, and facilitate smart decision-making. Through coaching, DISC assessments, and tailored project leadership solutions, Donna equips organizations with the tools they need to improve team performance, strengthen leadership capability, and execute projects with confidence.

What We Believe In

Our mission

To equip professionals and organizations with the project leadership skills, structure,
and confidence they need to lead work effectively, with or without the title.

Our vision

To be the trusted partner organizations turn to when they’re ready to develop
stronger leaders, build project clarity, and move their vision into action.

Our values

#1

Excellence

We deliver high-quality work with clarity, focus, and follow-through. Excellence is not perfection. It is progress that makes a difference.

#2

Integrity

We lead with transparency, honesty, and accountability. Our clients trust us because we do what we say and say what we mean.

#3

Passion

We believe in doing the work and becoming better in the process. Growth does not wait for a title. It starts with action.

#4

Respect

We treat every client, team, and learner with respect. We listen, we lead, and we meet people where they are.

#5

Teamwork

We build strong partnerships and help teams lead together. Progress happens when people align, communicate, and take ownership.

Why us

We Deliver

Hard Working

Flexible

Experienced

Innovative

Are you looking to:

Build confident project leaders from within your team
Teach practical project skills without formal certifications
Launch a new initiative or rescue one that’s off track
Align team efforts with business goals and strategic outcomes
Manage scope, priorities, and resources with clarity (not confusion)
Build accountability into every project without micromanaging
Improve communication across departments, roles, and stakeholders
Lead better meetings that result in progress, not more discussion
Strengthen soft skills that improve execution and morale
Deliver projects on time without burning out your team
Replace scattered efforts with clear, repeatable workflows
Solve project problems with leadership, not just task lists

Work With Us

Project Leadership Training

Lead without the title!

We train your team to manage projects with confidence and clarity, combining structure, soft skills, and tools they can use right away.

For teams who do the work but need help managing the work.

Project Management Consulting

Stop winging it.

We assess how your team gets work done and where structure is missing — then design smarter workflows and recommend practical improvements.

For businesses with big goals and no project playbook.

Fractional Project Leadership

Build your dream team!

Add part-time project leadership without the full-time cost. Perfect for businesses managing growth, launches, or change — we keep work moving, teams aligned, and deliverables on track.

Project leadership when you need it — no long-term hire required.

Tactical Planning & Facilitation

Clarity meets action!

We help your team align, prioritize, and plan in focused sessions — turning ideas into executable strategies with timelines, tasks, and accountability.

Perfect for kickoffs, resets, and growth-focused planning.

What people are saying

“ Donna is a true professional. She astutely grasps on to her client's biggest challenges and is able to navigate their complexities and guide them over the finish line again and again. She has an unwavering positive professional demeanor that instantly brings value to any conversation. Over the course of my career, I can think of a handful of people that stand out as exceptional, and she is at the top of the list. ”

“ I have had the privilege of working with Donna for the past 9 plus years. During the course of our work relationship, Donna performed at the highest levels and set new standards of excellence for others to follow. Simply put, Donna is the finest example of a true highly skilled technology consultant. Any organization fortunate to retain Donna to implement solutions for them will be absolutely delighted with her integrity, outstanding technical skills, ability to effectively communicate and deliver long-lasting, high impact results.”

“ Donna is a pleasure to work with. Her professionalism, organizational skills and ability to coordinate people and tasks during difficult projects was integral in allowing us to meet deadlines. She is an excellent facilitator with the ability to manage multiple perspectives and effortlessly guide the team to consensus. On a personal level, Donna has helped me to challenge my ways of thinking and as a result shaping how I manage my current role.”

I had the opportunity to work with Donna in a PM role she had at St. Jude. She was managing multiple projects and leading the effort to pull together a portfolio of work for a large department. Donna is disciplined, proactive and persistent in her management of projects. She was able to ensure project goals and timelines were met by efficiently managing meetings, ensuring follow-ups took place and holding her project partners accountable for their delivery of work. She also understood the organization, doing a good job of helping to navigate any potential project slowdowns. Donna is a great addition to any organization looking to tighten up or improve performance of their project management processes.

Tools and training to help you lead the work not just manage it.

You’re not just looking for templates and checklists. You’re looking for clarity, structure, and ways to lead better through every project, process, and plan.

At The Virtual PM Digital, we offer more than resources. We deliver practical tools built on real-world project leadership. Whether you’re launching something new or getting a stalled initiative back on track, our digital products are designed to support your growth, sharpen your skills, and move the work forward with confidence.

Dive into Our Resource Library:

E-books that teach and inspire
Templates to give your projects structure
Checklists that help you plan without overthinking it
Assessments for growth, clarity, and continuous improvement

We serve professionals across industries healthcare, education, finance, tech, and beyond who are ready to stop surviving projects and start leading them.

Let’s simplify your workflow, elevate your leadership, and give your projects the structure they’ve been missing.
Welcome to your new project leadership toolkit.

Ready to redefine your business efficiency? Dive into The Virtual PM Digital where innovation meets optimization across industries.

Leading Projects Without the Title? This Guide Is for You.

You’re already planning, organizing, and problem-solving every day. You’re running meetings, chasing updates, and moving things forward — but you don’t have the title or the paycheck to show for it.

That’s project leadership. And you’re already doing it.

This e-book is your no-fluff, real-world introduction to project management for professionals who are already leading the work but need a clear, structured way to approach it. Whether you’re new to project work, just landed your first unofficial PM role, or want to feel more confident running your next initiative — this is the guide I wish I had 20 years ago.

Inside, you’ll find:

The basics of what project management really is (minus the jargon)
A practical breakdown of what to do from start to finish
Tips for communicating like a leader, not just a task tracker
The mindset shift that helped me go from uncertain to in demand

This is more than a guide. It’s a confidence boost, a mindset reset, and a starting point to lead projects with clarity — even without the formal training.