Leonard P. Stavisky (1925–1999) was a history and political science professor, a politician in New York City and State, and a civic leader in his neighborhood in Flushing. Stavisky was born in the Bronx and attended New York City public schools. He earned three university degrees: a Bachelor of Science from City College of New York in 1945, and both master’s and PhD degrees from the Graduate Faculty of Political Science of Columbia University, in 1946 and 1958, respectively. A university professor by background, Leonard Stavisky had more than 25 years of experience teaching and in administration at Columbia University, the State University of New York, the City University of New York, Colgate University, Long Island University, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

He began his career in politics in 1954 by serving as a member of the New York City Council. Between 1972 and 1977, he served as a member of the State Charter Revision Commission for the City of New York, and in 1965, Stavisky was elected to the New York State Assembly, where he represented Flushing and served as the Chairman of the Education Committee for eight years. He was elected to the New York State Senate in 1983 in a special election. He was reelected several times and remained in the State Senate until his death in 1999 due to complications from a cerebral hemorrhage. He was survived at the time by his wife, New York State Senator Toby Ann (Goldhaar) Stavisky, and a son, Evan.

Senator Stavisky served as National Vice-Chairman of the Commission on Organization of the American Jewish Congress, Trustee of the Municipal Lodge of B’nai B’rith, the New York League of Histradrut, and the Settlement Housing Fund, Honorary Trustee of the National Amputation Foundation, and as a member of the Board of Directors of Interfaith Movement, Inc. On a more local level, Stavisky served as the Chairman of the Whitestone Library Committee and on the Board of Directors of the Bay Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the Latimer Gardens Community Center, the Bland Houses Community Center, the Flushing Boys Club, and the North Flushing Senior Center. He also served on the Advisory Boards of the Queens Council On The Arts, the Iris Hill Nursery School, and Save The Theatres, Inc. On a citywide level, he served on the Board of Trustees of the New York Public Library, the Board of the New York City Employees Retirement System, the New York City Health Insurance Board, the Mayor’s Committee on Scholastic Achievement, and the Mayor’s Committee on Coordination of Services to Families and Children.

On May 19, 2002, a street sign was hung at a co-naming ceremony to designate the corner of 29th Road at 137th Street in Flushing in the Senator’s honor. P.S. 242 Leonard P. Stavisky Early Childhood School in Flushing is also named for the Senator, and both locations are a short walk from where he and his family lived.