In 2000, Laura Castañeda began teaching her first news writing class at San Diego City College. Four years later, she was hired as a full-time professor and remained in the Radio TV Film department for 17 years until her retirement in 2018. Castañeda also served as Chair of the department from 2010-2017.   
 
Castañeda taught courses in News Writing, Digital Storytelling, Border Reporting, Investigative Reporting, Producing and Television Performance. Castañeda launched hundreds of student careers all across the United States.  Her students won dozens of local and national awards with her guidance. Castañeda continues to teach part-time and speaks to classes and panels on a variety of media topics. She has taught at Palomar College, San Diego State University, Point Loma Nazarene University and San Diego City College, serving as the faculty advisor for shows in English and Spanish.
 
Castañeda has also served as a mentor to many students over the years and organized the first-ever Broadcast Boot Camp at Grossmont College in 2019. She also participated as a mentor and coach at CAMP News (formerly APTRA Academy) in Malibu.