Our Vision
As Halifax's first professional women's soccer club, we will inspire future generations, create an environment where everyone can dream big and be the beacon of hope that ignites limitless potential.
We are creating an environment locally, where every player can flourish, every fan can find belonging and every individual can realize their full potential. By leading with authenticity and warmth, creating moments of joy through unforgettable experiences and cultivating strong relationships, we will be a thriving professional soccer club that demands global & national attention
— Courtney Sherlock
The Team
Courtney Sherlock – CEO
Dr. Courtney Sherlock, Co-founder and CEO of Atlantic Women’s FC, grew up in Fall River, Nova Scotia and has worked in the HRM as a veterinarian since 2006. She now has ownership in six veterinary hospitals, real estate and several other business investments. She is proud to have been selected as one of Atlantic Canada’s Top 50 CEOs for 2022.
She was introduced to soccer through her children who have grown up playing the sport. When the opportunity to become involved with the NSL was presented, the idea of doing a start-up company in a different field than veterinary medicine was very exciting and is a great opportunity. A professional women’s soccer league is long overdue in Canada and Courtney is very proud to be an owner in one of the founding teams and looks forward to ball drop in early 2025.
She now lives in Cow Bay with her husband Adam, three children and a variety of dogs, cats and chickens.
Val Malone - President
Val Malone, President of the Halifax Tides FC is a seasoned executive known for her transformative leadership and strategic acumen across diverse industries. She has recently moved back home to Halifax after a 23 year stint in Toronto and has quickly immersed herself back into the world of sports in HRM. She volunteers alongside her husband for her kids' sports teams and thrives working in our community.
Val developed a passion for sports marketing, sponsorship, and activation while cultivating partnerships with renowned properties including the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, and the Toronto Blue Jays. In addition to her strong background in sports marketing, she specializes in crafting data-driven strategies that foster growth and operational efficiency. Her expertise spans commercialization, comprehensive go-to-market strategies, and optimizing business operations, supported by a strong foundation in marketing and communications.
She has exemplified her dedication to community impact through her role as a co-founder of the M+M Girls Movement, a youth leadership program for adolescent girls, and her volunteer work in the various communities across both Nova Scotia and Ontario.
Val also holds certifications in professional coaching! She has a passion for empowering teams to achieve shared visions and impactful results. She continues to drive innovation and sustainability across her endeavors, advocating for women’s leadership in business and environmental conservation.
Amit Batra - Sporting Director
A proud resident of the community of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Amit Batra joins Halifax Tides FC as Sporting Director. Armed with a Bachelor of Commerce from Dalhousie University and a CSA ‘B’ License, Amit brings a unique blend of strategic vision and extensive coaching experience to the club.
His influence spans across grassroots development, with impactful contributions to Soccer Nova Scotia, Scotia Soccer Club (now Suburban FC), where he achieved notable regional and provincial successes. His tenure also includes roles as Head Coach at Mount Saint Vincent University and Co-Technical Director at Dartmouth United Soccer Club (now United DFC), where he cultivated talent and mentored aspiring coaches in his community.
Amit has been the driving force behind the growth & success of Acadia University’s Women’s Soccer Program. Since joining in 2010, Amit landed the program six AUS Championship game appearances, and claimed the 2021 AUS Championship. In his time leading the team they saw an impressive overall record of 71 wins, 16 losses, and 24 draws. He showed his empowerment and development skills through the accolades his players earned with one AUS MVP, one AUS Rookie of the Year, and three AUS Student-Athlete Community Service Awards. On the national level, his athletes enjoyed 11 USPORTS All-Canadian Awards, three All-Rookie team players, one USPORTS Student-Athlete Community Service Award and three overall USPORTS Championships appearances. His leadership extends beyond the pitch, where he served as Director of Student Recruitment for the university as well, where he excelled in fostering growth and innovation.
Amit aims to cultivate a dynamic program at the Tides, fostering a local culture of excellence to elevate on-field performances and inspire the next generation of female players, coaches, and sports executives. While he’s not busy building a professional women’s soccer club, you can find Amit coordinating his son’s busy sports and extracurricular schedule, including soccer and paddling.
Lewis Page - Head Coach
Born in Montreal, and raised in Chester, Nova Scotia, Lewis brings a wealth of coaching experience and achievements to the Tides. He found a home in Halifax while he attended Saint Mary’s University, playing for a very talented Huskies side, where he enjoyed many personal academic and athletic accolades. He soon after began his coaching career, and has since advanced his coaching credentials with significant achievements, including an A License, a Level 4 Certification from the National Coaching Certification Program, and a National Diploma from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America to name a few.
As a coach, Lewis joins us with a storied career that includes senior national team coaching experience, multiple championships and national accolades. Notably, Lewis served as Assistant Coach for the Senior Women’s National Team, contributing to their unforgettable Gold Medal triumph at the 2011 Pan Am Games. He more recently has served as Head Coach of the University of Prince Edward Island’s men’s and women’s soccer programs, where he consistently elevated his players, programs, and local coaches alike. During his time coaching at the university level, he was awarded with the 2002 National Canadian Interuniversity Sport, Coach of the Year, he is a two time Sport PEI Coach of the Year and a four time Atlantic University Sport Soccer Coach of the Year.
Lewis will bring a wealth of experience, expertise, and a strong passion for coaching mentorship to the Tides that will lead to the development of future coaches and players on the East Coast.
Kennedi Herrmann - Coaching Staff
Having begun her athletic journey with the Erin Mills Eagles in Mississauga, Ontario, Kennedi progressed through a successful youth career in the Ontario Youth Soccer League (OYSL). Her talent and dedication earned her a scholarship to Armstrong State University in Savannah, Georgia, where she competed for a Division II team ranked third nationally during her tenure. The team made significant strides in the NCAA tournament, reaching the round of 16 or elite 8 in three out of four years.
Upon returning to Ontario, Kennedi played in League 1 Ontario with the Woodbridge Strikers, securing the league title in 2021. Transitioning to coaching, the following year Kennedi won her second consecutive League 1 title, but this time as a staff member with NDC-O. Kennedi achieved remarkable success as a head coach in youth soccer, winning multiple indoor and futsal Ontario Cup championships with North Mississauga Soccer Club and Liverpool International FCIA. Her coaching prowess extended to higher levels as an assistant coach for York University's women's varsity team, where her first year saw the team finish second in the OUA and qualify for Nationals at Laval.
Currently, Kennedi holds several significant roles: assistant coach at York University, operations role with the Canadian Youth National teams at the U17 and U20 levels, head coach for North Mississauga Soccer Club's League 1 and League 2 teams, and head coach for the U13 and U14 girls OPDL teams. Additionally, Kennedi serves as the Director of Female Development at Final 3rd Soccer, a technical development company in the Greater Toronto Area.
Academically, Kennedi holds an undergraduate degree in biology and is nearing the completion of her Master's in Sports Psychology. Kennedi’s passion for soccer remains unwavering, and she is enthusiastic about embarking on a new chapter with the Halifax Tides, aiming to build a successful program that inspires and promotes quality female soccer for youth players.
Danae Iatrou-Davis - Director of Marketing
A Haligonian through and through, Danae, pronounced THE-nye, calls Halifax home. She’s a digital marketer by trade with a strong passion for building innovation & economic growth in her community.
Her involvement & career in soccer started at a young age playing for Halifax County United and Team Nova Scotia where she played at the highest level and saw lots of success. Her youth achievements earned her a scholarship to the University of Prince Edward Island where she spent 5 years on the women’s soccer team, leaving the island with a Bachelor in Business Administration. She continued her passion for soccer off the pitch by joining the HFX Wanderers FC in 2018 helping the club with their inaugural season with content marketing execution, match day production, and community & sponsor engagement. She still plays at a recreational level, and is a board member for her childhood club, Halifax County United.
For this role, her strong passion for the game pairs exceptionally well with her 5+ years of marketing experience. Thanks to some time in “agency life” she’s led countless teams through the development & delivery of various omni-channel marketing strategies for all ranges of clients spanning from small local brands to large international brands. She believes in the strength of strategic partnerships, and has spent significant time developing and executing on tailor made plans for brands she has represented partnering with the likes of Hockey Canada, the CFL, and of course the Wanderers. When it comes to her marketing experience, Danae is a Jill of all trades and is excited to dive into it all in order to build this brand, deliver an incredible fan & user experience while fostering strong relationships with corporate & community sponsors.
Marilyn Burke - Marketing Manager
Cape Breton born and raised, our very own New Waterford girl, Marilyn Burke, joins our team as Marketing Manager. Having grown up competitive and passionate about sport, Marilyn brings a wealth of experience when it comes to communication, creativity, and community.
With a background in Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University (MSVU), Marilyn has honed her skills in digital marketing and brand strategy. During her time at Trailer Park Boys Inc., she assisted in legacy building and maintaining international brand narratives, while engaging audiences across social media platforms - showcasing her talent for content creation, execution and strategic thinking.
Beyond her professional achievements, Marilyn played and captained the MSVU soccer team. During her time she made five appearances at Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association championships, earning two gold medals which led the team to nationals - playing at Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association, where she accepted the Exemplary Leadership Award on behalf of her team.
At Halifax Tides FC, Marilyn Burke aspires to help celebrate the strength and resilience of women in sports, creating waves of positivity that extend far beyond the field.
Harish Phadke - CBO
As the Chief Business Officer, Harish brings to the Tides, experience and learnings accumulated over a decade-long marketing and general management career in the US and UK at Reckitt Benckiser, having managed global brands such as Lysol, Dettol, Air wick and Mucinex. During his time at Reckitt, Harish launched industry first smart devices, partnering with Amazon at CES 2020, whilst commercializing air-care innovations which redefined category dynamics. He has been featured on the renowned Seigel & Gayle podcast “How CMO’s commit.”, talking about his passion relating to sustainable business practices and the company’s pursuit of achieving the UN sustainable development goals.
More recently, Harish has partnered with a local microbrewery, that some of you may know, Good Robot to launch innovative beverage products whilst pursuing his love of teaching, at Dalhousie and Mount Saint Vincent Universities. His passion for the sport of soccer, his track record of driving business success and building high performing teams follows him to Halifax, where he strives to have a positive impact on the community and the economy of the region. Harish holds Master’s degrees in Operations Research, Product and Brand Management and Technology Entrepreneurship, and invests in mentoring students from the local universities seeking career guidance and networking advice.
He is a die hard Arsenal fan, a world traveler and a current affairs enthusiast who has lived in some of the world’s most vibrant cities including Mumbai, New York and London Now that he calls Halifax home, you will often find Harish, at Point Pleasant Park walking his beloved Golden Retriever, Sophie or taking on a new culinary here on the East Coast.
Ally Pedvis - Business Development Manager
With a passion for sports and community, Ally blends a background in sport-related studies from the University of Ottawa with several years of successful sponsorship sales experience. Known for her strong communication skills and a commitment to giving back, she prides herself on her volunteer work with local organizations, living the values that guide impactful business practices.
As the Business Development Manager, Ally plays a pivotal role in identifying and nurturing sponsorship opportunities that align with the club’s mission, championing inclusiveness in sports, particularly for women. She is dedicated to making a difference both on and off the pitch, and will make it her priority that every sponsorship that the Tides engage with, supports a movement that resonates for our club, our partners and our community.
She excels in fostering strong, mutually beneficial relationships, prioritizing client needs and objectives to enhance brand visibility and community impact. She believes in creating partnerships that go beyond transactional agreements, focusing on long-term collaboration and shared values.
When she’s not building a club from the ground up with sponsors & partners, she enjoys exploring Halifax’s bustling food scene, always on the hunt for the city’s best lobster roll. You can often find her winding down by watching our beautiful Haligonian sunsets over the Harbour.
