Laura Gonzalez is an adjunct instructor of journalism at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where she also served as a journalism and social media coach at the Annenberg Media Center. She began her career as a visual journalist at the Imperial Valley Press, producing award-winning multimedia stories on education, health, immigration, and agriculture. She later became the web and multimedia editor at La Opinión, the largest Spanish-language newspaper in the U.S.

Gonzalez’s work bridges journalism, community development, and innovation. She led youth storytelling and media programs at Las Fotos Project, a nonprofit uplifting teenage girls of color through photography and mentorship. At the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI), she managed programs at the intersection of clean energy, workforce development, and equity—supporting entrepreneurs and policy initiatives focused on environmental justice and economic mobility.

She has also contributed to countywide efforts like the Sidewalk Vending Pilot Program and has worked on economic development and policy projects aimed at creating opportunities for immigrant communities and communities of color.

Gonzalez is passionate about media justice, gender equity, arts and storytelling, and youth empowerment. She holds a master’s degree in social entrepreneurship from the USC Marshall School of Business and is committed to helping students use their voices and creativity to drive change.