Ms Mackenzie-Hooson is the granddaughter of former New Zealand prime minister Sir Thomas Mackenzie, and this month rediscovered family connections to the great walks of the South Island, including landmarks that her grandfather named for members of the family.
Ms Mackenzie-Hooson, who was born in Balclutha but has lived in the US since the 1960s, walked the Routeburn and Milford Tracks with guiding company Ultimate Hikes.
Sir Thomas Mackenzie briefly served as the 18th prime minister of New Zealand in 1912 before serving as New Zealand High Commissioner in London.
"As a little girl, I had heard that Lake Ada was named after my grandmother, and Mt Cusack for my father.
"It has been thrilling to locate them on maps while I am actually in the region.
"While I've loved this part of the journey, I have also been pleased to note renewed interest and commitment to Maori history and explorers."
Ms Mackenzie-Hooson left New Zealand to study in the United States and completed her PhD at the University of Chicago in 1973.
She then became a medical anthropologist at the University of California Berkeley from 1973-81 before her career continued as part of the Alcohol Research Group at Berkeley.
She then moved to the California College of the Arts from 1986-2006 as an anthropologist in Critical Studies.
She is now prof emerita, teaching part-time at Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco.
Sir Thomas was a keen explorer, who pushed for the construction of the Routeburn Track during his time as the minister of tourism, believing tourism offered the best opportunity for conserving the wilderness.
Cutting of the renowned route by Harry Birley of Glenorchy began in 1912, the year Mr Mackenzie became prime minister.
Sir Thomas' name was later used to commemorate Lake Mackenzie on the Routeburn Track.
Ultimate Hikes, which operates guided walks on the Routeburn Track, continued the theme by honouring Sir Thomas for his exploration in the region, naming Mackenzie Lodge, near Lake Mackenzie, after him.
