You likely have a wide range of options, depending on your aesthetic preferences and the site conditions. You mentioned a need for deer resistance, which is good to know, but depending on how much direct sun (or not) the planting area gets in summer (once any live trees above it leaf-out fully), how well-drained the soil is (slopes aren't always as dry or drought-prone as we assume they are), and if the soil skews acidic or more neutral are all factors that can help narrow-down the best plant choices. Some species will not be that picky about site conditions, but some can.

These resources can help you find species that meet your criteria:

• Maryland Native Plant Program: refer to their piedmont native plant guide booklet (available online), and in list form, the Commercial Native Plant List that includes hundreds of species and their basic cultivation needs (both resources can be found on the linked page)
• Groundcovers web page, which includes a few species lists, though they are not exhaustive

Where possible, use a mix of several species, both to improve multi-season aesthetic interest and wildlife value, but also to add resiliency to the planting as a whole. (If a pest or disease issue (or weather damage) were to arise at some point, having a mix of species would ensure that the whole planting won't be affected equally severely by that one event.)

Once the ivy has been completely removed, popular native groundcovers for semi-shade (we'll assume that, given the tree pictured) and which deer usually leave alone (or which can outgrow mild browsing damage) include:

• Sedges (Carex species) - there are many native and non-native (but non-invasive) options; some spread slowly while others stay distinct clumps
• Hayscented Fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula)
• Lyre-leaf Sage (Salvia lyrata) - it's possible rabbits would nibble on it, even if deer don't
• Fleabane (Erigeron species) - some species are more aggressive spreaders than others
• Pussytoes (Antennaria species)
• White Wood Aster (Eurybia divaricata)
• River Oats / Inland Sea Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
• Green-and-gold (Chrysogonum virginianum)
• Golden Groundsel (Packera aurea)

Miri